Helsinki, March 1 (IANS) Finland has started the construction of a 200 km fence on its border with Russia to boost security.
Finland shares the longest European Union border with Russia, at 1,340 km and at present, the Nordic nation’s borders are secured primarily by light wooden fences, reports the BBC.
The decision to construct the fence, which according to the Border Guard will be 10ft tall with barbed wire on top, came after large numbers of Russians started fleeing to Finland after President Vladimir Putin ordered a mobilisation of reservists to fight in Ukraine.
The Border Guard said that work on the fence at the Imatra border crossing started on Tuesday with forest clearance, while road construction and fence installation are planned to start in March.
Night vision cameras, lights and loudspeakers will be installed in certain sections of the fence.
A 3-km pilot project at Imatra is expected to be completed by the end of June, the BBC quoted the Border Guard as saying.
Finland had passed new amendments to its Border Guard Act in July last year to allow the building of stronger fences.
The current wooden fences are mainly to prevent livestock crossing the border.
Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, Finland has sought to strengthen its eastern border.
–IANS
ksk/
