Finland's Prime Minister Petteri Orpo said his government could close all the checkpoints with Russia to block an influx of migrants, Poland's dorzeczy.pl website reported on Sunday evening.
Orpo added that, under such a scenario, asylum claims could be filed only at ports or Helsinki Airport, the Helsinki Times website reported.
Some 950 asylum applicants have crossed the border from Russia to Finland this autumn, according to Finnish media.
The Finnish government said the migrant flows were orchestrated by Russian officials, who allowed people without the necessary travel documents to enter the border zone, Helsinki Times reported.
Finland has closed most of its checkpoints with Russia, and since November 24, migrants have only been able to file asylum claims at the Raja-Jooseppi crossing, according to officials.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia "does not accept" accusations of orchestrating a migrant influx, adding that only entitled persons were being allowed to use the checkpoints, dorzeczy.pl reported.
It said Russian officials began allowing people without visas to enter the border zone with Finland in October.
Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022, launching the largest military campaign in Europe since World War II.
Monday is day 642 of Russia’s war on Ukraine.
(pm/gs)
Source: dorzeczy.pl, Helsinki Times
