Moscow has started to report on migrant detentions in its border zones.
Russian authorities have recently publicised cases of officials detaining third country nationals attempting to cross into Finland. This behaviour is a change from the end of last year, when Russia funnelled people across the border as part of its hybrid influencing strategy.
Hanna Smith, a Russia expert at the University of Helsinki, said the Moscow concert hall attack in March shifted the country's migrant policies.
"When the perpetrators' Tajik links came to light, Russia could no longer use the narrative that it is open to foreigners and cannot control movement through its territory. It would have made Russia look weak and lacking control," Smith explained.
Russia is looking to stem a mass exodus of educated people, so issuing reports on border detainment may play an underlying role, according to Smith.
"From the perspective of the Russian government, it would seem odd if anyone could pass through the country at the same time as Moscow is tightening laws on emigration," Smith added.
With the Finnish border closed, Finland is not a prime target of Russian hybrid influence attempts, according to Smith.
"If people start coming here, it signals that Russian border authorities are either corrupt or not up to date with the situation and unable to manage the border. Neither of these is a good look for Russia," she said.
This summer the Polish border will likely be Russia's next hybrid influence target, according to Smith.
Finland's eastern border checkpoints have been closed since last December.
Since August of last year, a total of 1,319 asylum seekers have arrived in Finland via the eastern border. The months of February and March each saw one person cross the eastern frontier, whereas no such attempts were recorded in April, according to the Finnish Border Guard.
Last month Prime Minister Petteri Orpo (NCP) said the government was preparing a deportation law that would prevent those attempting to cross the border from seeking asylum.