According to the border guard, around 200 kilometers of the 1,300-kilometer border are to be provided with a fence for 380 million euros. The fence is said to be over three meters high and fitted with barbed wire. Particularly sensitive areas should be equipped with night vision cameras, headlights and loudspeakers, said project manager Ismo Kurki at a press conference. Completion is expected by 2026.
So far, Finland’s borders have been secured mainly by light wooden fences, which are mainly intended to prevent cattle from migrating to the wrong side.
Finland fears Moscow could use migrants to exert political pressure on Helsinki. That is why the NATO candidate passed changes in the law in July to be able to build more robust fences. The laws also allow Finland to close borders and detain asylum seekers in certain locations.
