The Russian authorities are transferring migrants to the border with Finland, the Finnish Border Guard Service has reported, as cited by Polish Radio.
The migrants are brought by car and then given bicycles at border crossings to cover the last leg of the journey to the border.
Pedestrian traffic between Russia and Finland has been suspended. In addition, the Finnish side has banned crossing the border on bicycles.
There are only two border crossings between the two countries in Vartius and Salla. They accept visa applications from those wishing to enter Finland. Other crossings are closed by the Finnish side.
Over the past two weeks, more than 500 migrants from countries such as Iraq, Yemen, Somalia and Syria have crossed the border with Russia.
Today, 41 people tried to get to Finland through the Salla border crossing. They were citizens of Afghanistan, Yemen and Morocco, among others.
Instead, 16 people from Syria and Somalia arrived through the Vartius border crossing.
The fact that it is the Russian side that transports migrants to the border crossings with Finland is evidenced by the fact that staying in the border zone on the Russian side is possible only with a special permit.
Background. Earlier it was reported that Finland may completely close the border with Russia on Wednesday night – the decision may be made because Russia uses illegal migrants as a weapon.