Asylum seekers continue to arrive via northern route from Russia

Yle News
Posted: Monday, February 29, 2016 at 17:28
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Most asylum seekers entering Finland from Russia now are arriving at the Salla border crossing point. Last fall, the majority entered at Raja-Joosepi border crossing. Photo: Jarmo Honkanen / Yle

The number of asylum seekers arriving in Finland at border crossing points on the northeastern border has not fallen since Russian President Vladimir Putin called on security services on Friday to impose tighter control over flows of migrants in Russia.

So far this year on average three car loads a day of people who file for asylum have been arriving at the Salla border crossing point. Deputy Commander Jussi Sainio of the Lapland Border Guard District told Yle on Monday that there has been no change seen in this steady flow.

On Saturday and Sunday, 37 people entered from Russia seeking asylum. Of those, 32 came into Finland at Salla.

Sainio said that the Border Guard is aware of a number of potential arrivals still on the Russia side of the border, with for example around 200 now at Kantalahti

Last week 117 people applied for asylum on Finnish Lapland’s border with Russia.