Finland will close three more checkpoints on its eastern border with Russia from midnight on Thursday, Prime Minister Petteri Orpo (NCP) and Interior Minister Mari Rantanen (Finns) announced at a press conference on Wednesday evening.
The closure of the checkpoints will remain in force until 23 December 2023.
The move means that just one crossing point, at Raja-Jooseppi in the far north of Finnish Lapland, will remain open. The processing of applications for asylum made at the eastern border will be centralised at this crossing point too.
"Our main task is to secure the safety of the Finnish people," Orpo said at the press conference.
Last week, Finland's government closed four checkpoints in the southeast of the country in response to Russian officials allowing increasing numbers of undocumented asylum seekers to pass through to the Finnish side of the border.
Previously, Russian authorities did not allow people to travel from Russia to the Finnish border crossings without the necessary travel documents.
The closing of the four southeastern crossing points sent the flow of migrants northwards, in particular to the Vartius and Salla checkpoints.
"It was necessary to change the government's decision," Rantanen stated. "The measures taken in accordance with last week's decision in southeast Finland show that they are working. The border situation in southeastern Finland has been calm."
Both Orpo and Rantanen stated that Finland must be prepared for the possibility that more asylum seekers will arrive at the eastern border, noting that the situation remains unpredictable.
"We aim to send a clear message that we do not accept this activity," Orpo said. "Russia has caused and has allowed this situation to develop, and they are also able to resolve it."
Wednesday evening's announcement comes just hours after the Deputy Chancellor of Justice, Mikko Puumalainen, gave a green light to the interior ministry's revised border plan proposal earlier in the day.
The chancellor's office had rejected the ministry's first draft on Tuesday because it did not sufficiently protect the rights of asylum seekers.
Niinistö meets with party leaders
Earlier on Wednesday, Finnish President Sauli Niinistö met with the chairs of the parliamentary parties to discuss the situation on the eastern border.
The meeting was attended by leaders of both government and opposition parties.
In a press statement, the president's office said there was broad consensus within the meeting about how to handle the situation, with an emphasis on the need to remain calm while also acting decisively.
Russia will "of course" respond
Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said Moscow will "of course" respond to Finland fully closing its border, news agency Reuters reported on Wednesday afternoon.
Zakharova did not however specify what action Russia would take. She also blamed Finland for the problems but added that the Kremlin was open to talks.
"We are open to dialogue, particularly on border-related issues," Zakharova stated.
Finland requests EU help
Finland has requested assistance from the EU's Border and Coast Guard agency, commonly known as Frontex.
EU Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson told the European Parliament that Finland has asked for an auxiliary force of 60 officers to help deal with the situation on the eastern border.
A total of 51 asylum seekers arrived at the Salla checkpoint during Wednesday, while 11 people arrived at the Vartius crossing point further south.
According to the Finnish Border Guard, the Salla arrivals came in three separate groups and were made up of people from Yemen, Pakistan, Somalia and Syria.
Edit note added at 11:14 on 23.11.2023 to reflect that the three border checkpoints will close at midnight on Thursday, not Friday as previously stated by Interior Minister Mari Rantanen.
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