Traffic on Estonia's border with Russia increases after closure of Finland's eastern border

Finland's decision to close border checkpoints with Russia has already increased traffic on the Estonian-Russian border by a quarter, said EWE Kalmus, a spokeswoman for the police and Border Protection Department. This is reported by ERR, writes UNN.

We are dealing with a hybrid attack (from Russia Ed.), and the closure of Finnish border checkpoints certainly affects us. Already, the number of crossings across the Estonian-Russian border has increased from 4,000 to 5000,

She added that before the coronavirus crisis, 10,000 people crossed the Russian border every day, so the situation is not yet critical.

When asked by journalists who is currently visiting Russia, Kalmus said that these are ordinary citizens who have their own personal affairs. However, in her opinion, the increase in the number of border crossings led to the closure of the Finnish eastern border. In addition, employees of foreign missions, as well as their relatives, cross the Estonian-Russian border.

She clarified that in the case of Estonia, as well as Finland, migrants have not yet tried to cross the border outside of highways – unlike the border of Belarus with its Baltic neighbors, where groups approach the border directly in the middle of the forest. 

Meanwhile, she assured that Estonia is also ready for migrants to try to enter us through the territory between the border points.

we will definitely take this into account, we are ready for it,

Kalmus confirmed that Estonia is in close contact with neighboring countries and is cooperating with them in repelling a hybrid attack from Russia.

Recall

As before written by UNN, Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsakhkna warns of possible closure of the border with the Russian Federation amid rising tides migrants, describing it as a hybrid attack by Moscow

Read also: Finland has closed all road checkpoints on the border with Russia