Finland is building a two-hundred-kilometer wall on the border with the Russian Federation ahead of schedule.

Yle reported on this.

It is reported that the construction work would be completed several months earlier.

“The construction of the fence will be mostly completed this year. Only some sections will be completed in 2026,” said Markku Hassinen, Chief of the Border Guard.

According to preliminary estimates, the fence was to be completed only by the end of next year.

The Finnish fence

In 2023, the plans to build a large-scale fence on the Finnish-Russian border were announced.

The preparations for the construction of the first section of the fence began in February 2023, and the construction itself began in April.

The first section of the fence, about 3 kilometers long, was built near the checkpoint near the town of Imatra.

Based on their experience in construction in this area, the Finnish authorities wanted to test whether the fence would withstand winter frosts, snow loads, or a possible influx of migrants from the east.

The fence will be made of steel mesh, and barbed wire will be installed on top of it. It will be equipped with video surveillance and floodlights.

The 3-meter-high barrier will be an important element of border control and will strengthen Finland’s preparedness for hybrid threats, including a potential massive influx of migrants.

200 km is about 15% of the entire length of the Finnish-Russian border, which is almost 1,300 km long.

According to the Finnish authorities, the expected cost of building a fence on certain border sections with Russia will take three to four years and cost the Finnish budget more than one hundred million euros.