An op-ed in The Moscow Times argues that Moscow’s manipulation of migration flows toward Finnish and Norwegian border posts began a decade earlier than widely assumed. Authors Jyri Lavikainen and Karen-Anna Eggen trace the tactic to 2015-16, when Russia abruptly relaxed controls in Murmansk Oblast, allowing over 7,000 third-country nationals to cycle or drive across Arctic checkpoints such as Salla and Raja-Jooseppi.
The piece, published 21 November, situates Finland’s 2023 border closure within a longer pattern of ‘instrumentalised migration’ used as geopolitical leverage. Citing research and interviews with former Finnish officials, it describes how the FSB tested routes, shifted flows north and south, and signalled readiness to escalate if Helsinki adopted positions contrary to Russian interests.
![Opinion: Russia’s Use of Migrants Against Finland Predates 2023 Crisis]()
For employers the analysis offers context for recent Finnish policy moves, including emergency asylum legislation and the construction of a 200-km border fence. Understanding the strategic logic behind sudden migration surges can help companies forecast future disruptions to cargo and personnel movements on Finland’s eastern flank.
While the article is opinion, it is grounded in archival data and underscores the importance of geopolitically informed risk assessments in mobility planning. Multinational firms with staff in Finland should continue to treat the Russia border as a volatile flashpoint even if crossing points eventually reopen.
The piece, published 21 November, situates Finland’s 2023 border closure within a longer pattern of ‘instrumentalised migration’ used as geopolitical leverage. Citing research and interviews with former Finnish officials, it describes how the FSB tested routes, shifted flows north and south, and signalled readiness to escalate if Helsinki adopted positions contrary to Russian interests.
For employers the analysis offers context for recent Finnish policy moves, including emergency asylum legislation and the construction of a 200-km border fence. Understanding the strategic logic behind sudden migration surges can help companies forecast future disruptions to cargo and personnel movements on Finland’s eastern flank.
While the article is opinion, it is grounded in archival data and underscores the importance of geopolitically informed risk assessments in mobility planning. Multinational firms with staff in Finland should continue to treat the Russia border as a volatile flashpoint even if crossing points eventually reopen.
