The international border between Finland and Russia is 1,340 km (830 mi) long and runs approximately north to south,[1] mostly through taiga forests and sparsely populated rural areas.

In the Arctic region, Russia maintains its 500-year-old border patrol, with plans to upgrade Soviet-era technologies to reduce costs and improve efficiency by 2020.

Major border checkpoints are found in Vaalimaa and Nuijamaa, where customs services on both sides inspect and levy fees on imported goods.

In an attempt to curb a sudden increase in asylum seekers entering Finland via Russia, all border crossings were closed in late 2023.

The displaced population was largely replaced by immigrants from Finland, most of whom were Savonians who spoke Finnish instead of the closely related Karelian.

In 1939, the Soviet Union invaded Finland in the Winter War, leading to the signing of the Moscow Peace Treaty the following year.

[citation needed] Between 1940 and 1941, the Soviet Union rented Hanko Peninsula as a military base, thereby creating an additional border crossing leading to the exclave.

As a result, approximately half of Finnish Karelia (including Finland's fourth-largest city Vyborg), parts of Salla, and all of Petsamo were ceded to the Soviet Union.

The new border cut through what was previously Finnish territory, severing many rail lines and isolating many Karelian towns from Finland.

The Soviet Union demanded the territories be emptied[citation needed], and Finns were subsequently evacuated from the area and resettled in Finland.

In 1947, Finnish trains were allowed to pass through the base, but the passenger car windows were blinded and the locomotives replaced while crossing through.

The first surveillance systems were installed in railway stations in cities, where the militsiya monitored potentially suspicious traffic.

At 20 kilometres (12 mi), there was a 3 metres (9.8 ft) tall barbed wire fence, with a top that curved inwards towards their own territory to prevent Soviet citizens from leaving.

Since Finland was a neutral country for most of the Cold War, they did not protect illegal border crossers and instead returned them to the Soviet authorities if captured.

[19] On September 16, 2023, Finland banned vehicles with Russian license plates from entering their territory, in accordance with a decision by the European Union.

[22][23] Additionally, on November 23, Frontex announced that the EU would help Finland secure its eastern border by deploying more personnel.

[24][25] Only five days after the closure of Kuusamo, Salla and Vartius, the last remaining crossing, Raja-Jooseppi, was temporarily closed for a period of two weeks.

[27] The Finnish government said the measures were taken to curb the influx of illegal entries into the country, which they claim is being "aided and encouraged" by Russia.

On 27 December 2015, Finland blocked access to people crossing the border by bicycle at Raja-Jooseppi [fi] and Salla.

According to the Finnish Border Guard, this measure was to limit illegal immigration and ensure safety on slippery roads.

[34] In March 2016, Finland and Russia temporarily closed the Raja-Jooseppi and Salla border crossings to third country nationals.

The proposed changes would expand its territorial waters by altering the maritime borders it shares with Finland and Lithuania, effective from January 2025.