Finland begins building a fence along its border with Russia

Mar 02, 2023

Mahmoud Bennett Digital Reporter/Producer

By Mahmoud Bennett (Digital Reporter/Producer)

Finland has begun constructing a 124-mile fence along the country’s 800-mile border with Russia, in an effort to boost security. The move comes as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine enters its second year and reports of Russians fleeing the military draft continue.

Some in the Nordic nation have expressed concerns of Russian threats, as the invasion in Ukraine shows little sign of slowing down. Finland is not a current member of NATO.

Last year, scenes of people trying to escape the Kremlin’s mobilization efforts by driving and walking into neighboring countries made headlines and sparked concerns mass migration could be weaponized by Russia.

Currently, Finland’s borders consist mostly of light wooden fences, as reported by BBC. The country is now cutting down trees to set up a 10-foot, 124-mile barbed wire fence along its border, which is the longest border between the European Union and Russia.

Meanwhile, Finland and Sweden are accelerating their bid to join the NATO alliance, which would grant them the guaranteed commitment of protection by Western military powers. To join NATO, Finland and Sweden need approval from all members of the defense alliance, which they mostly have.

Turkey and Hungary have yet to approve their membership.

Tags: Border, Finland, Hungary, NATO, Russia, Sweden, Turkey, Ukraine

MAHMOUD BENNETT:

WITH THE WAR IN UKRAINE ENTERING ITS SECOND YEAR – AND REPORTS OF RUSSIANS CONTINUING TO FLEA THE MILITARY DRAFT – NEARBY FINLAND HAS STARTED CONSTRUCTING A FENCE ALONG THE 800 PLUS MILE BORDER IT SHARES WITH RUSSIA

THE NORDIC COUNTRY IS WORRIED *THEY COULD BE NEXT* AS RUSSIA’S INVASION SHOWS LITTLE SIGN OF SLOWING DOWN

IF YOU REMEMBER SCENES LIKE *THESE* AT FINLAND’S BORDER MADE HEADLINES LAST YEAR AS PEOPLE TRIED TO ESCAPE THE KREMLIN’S MOBILIZATION EFFORTS BY DRIVING AND WALKING INTO NEIGHBORING COUNTRIES –

RIGHT NOW FINLAND’S BORDERS CONSIST MOSTLY OF LIGHT WOODEN FENCES – BUT WITH CONCERNS MASS MIGRATION COULD BE WEAPONIZED BY RUSSIA – FINLAND IS CUTTING DOWN TREES TO SET UP A 10 FOOT 124 -MILE BARBED WIRE FENCE ALONG *THIS BORDER* WHICH IS THE LONGEST BORDER BETWEEN THE EU AND RUSSIA

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg: THE TIME IS NOW TO RATIFY AND TO FULLY WELCOME FINLAND AND SWEDEN AS MEMBERS

MAHMOUD BENNETT:

MEANWHILE FINLAND AND SWEDEN ARE ACCELERATING THEIR BID TO JOIN THE NATO ALLIANCE WHICH WOULD GRANT THEM THE GUARANTEED COMMITMENT OF PROTECTION BY WESTERN MILITARY POWERS –

OF COURSE TO *JOIN NATO*, FINLAND AND SWEDEN NEED APPROVAL FROM ALL MEMBERS OF THE DEFENSE ALLIANCE WHICH THEY MOSTLY HAVE – AS OF MARCH 2ND ONLY TURKEY AND HUNGARY ARE YET TO CALL IT A DONE DEAL

THAT’S YOUR QUICK BREAKDOWN WITH US STRAIGHT AT STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS – UNBIASED STRAIGHT FACTS