The Southeastern Finland Border Guard has detected two unauthorised border crossings since the Vaalimaa border crossing closed on Friday evening.
Vaalimaa, roughly midway between Helsinki and St Petersburg, is the southernmost and normally busiest crossing point on the Finnish-Russian frontier.
One person illegally crossed the land border through the forest near Vaalimaa late Saturday, said deputy commander, Lt Col. Heikki Ahtiainen.
Southeast Finland Border Guard Director Kimmo Gromoff told the Finnish News Agency STT that the Border Guard detected the second border crossing after 7pm Saturday. He said it occurred just south of the checkpoint.
That individual applied for asylum and is now at a reception centre, according to Ahtiainen.
Earlier on Saturday, one person crossed to the Finnish side by climbing over the border fence.
According to the Border Guard, the individual who came through the forest was travelling alone. There were no observations of others attempting to cross through the wilderness, said Ahtiainen.
Stepped-up surveillance
The Border Guard said it continues to monitor the border in an enhanced manner, with reinforcements from the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex).
"We’re patrolling more frequently than usual and varying our tactics a bit," explained Ahtiainen.
Finland closed its border crossings for the first time a month ago, on November 18.
As of Saturday morning, a group of people remained a campfire at Torfyanovka, the Russian side of the Vaalimaa border crossing. However, according to Gromoff, the group had dispersed by Sunday morning.
Besides the two unauthorised crossings, the situation over the weekend has been calm on the southeastern border, he said.
The North Karelia Border Guard said that no unauthorised border crossings had been observed in its district.
Orpo: "Hybrid attack"
Finland's eastern border was closed to passenger traffic at 8pm Friday after being open for just two days. On Friday, 84 asylum seekers arrived via Niirala, while 124 came through Vaalimaa.
Since August, Russian authorities have reversed their previous practice and begun sending third-country nationals without proper travel documents to Finnish border crossing points.
In an interview with Yle on Saturday, Prime Minister Petteri Orpo (NCP) described Russia's actions as a "hybrid attack".
According to the latest government decision, the eastern border will remain closed until at least 14 January.
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