Finland Builds 200 km Fence Along Its Border With Russia

Finland has completed a 200-kilometer fence along its eastern border with Russia after more than three years of construction.

The Finnish public broadcaster Yle reported the completion.

The construction work lasted over three years.

Finland’s Interior Minister Mari Rantanen announced the completion of the fence on September 7 during a press conference near the Nuijamaa border crossing in southeastern Finland.

The largest section of the fence, about 140 km, runs through southeastern Finland. Another 35 km is located in the North Karelia region, while around 25 km runs through Kainuu and Finnish Lapland.

The project is estimated to have cost around €380 million. Construction began with a pilot section near Imatra in April 2023. During the project, Finland stayed ahead of its planned construction schedule.

Finland’s border with Russia is approximately 1,340 kilometers long. It is the longest land border with Russia among EU and NATO countries.

In 2023, Finland closed its border with Russia amid accusations that Moscow was using so-called “instrumentalized migration.”

Meanwhile, the Finnish government proposed extending the border security law for another two years. The law is intended to strengthen the government’s ability to respond to similar hybrid operations.

In addition to the border fence, the Finnish government is considering restoring drained wetlands to create a natural barrier against a potential Russian ground invasion.

Finland’s Defense and Environment ministries are expected to begin talks this autumn on launching a pilot project to restore peatlands.

The Finnish Defense Forces are also calling on reservists who have previously volunteered for such duties to help strengthen security in border areas. They will assist with protecting the border and airspace in different parts of the country.