Reporting from the North Karelian sector of Finland’s 1 300-kilometre border with Russia, The Times revealed on 27 October 2025 how conscripts and professional officers are now drilling year-round in arctic survival, reconnaissance and rapid-response tactics once reserved for the army. The Border Guard, historically a civilian agency, has become a fully integrated component of national defence since Finland joined NATO in 2023.
The article details a cohort of 150 conscripts rotating through the base alongside 235 full-time personnel. Trainees carry RK62 assault rifles, practise live-fire ambush scenarios and rehearse sealing minor crossings that could be exploited by smugglers or sudden migrant flows. The Guard has also begun deploying camera-equipped drones and is testing motion-sensor networks along initial segments of a new €380 million steel fence that will eventually cover 200 kilometres of high-risk terrain.
From a mobility perspective, the securitisation of the frontier signals more stringent checks on legitimate travellers. Border officials told The Times that interaction with their Russian counterparts has become “strictly formal,” replacing the once-routine exchange of cross-border worker data. Transport operators running the Moscow-Helsinki Allegro night bus have already reported a 25 % rise in processing times at the Nuijamaa crossing.
Multinational companies with personnel shuttling between Finnish and Russian project sites should prepare for sporadic closures and ensure travellers carry secondary proof of purpose—letters of guarantee, invitation letters and detailed itineraries—to avoid denial of entry. The increased military presence could also prompt Russia to impose retaliatory checks on Finnish nationals, so mobility managers are advised to monitor both countries’ advisories.
Analysts note that Finland fields nearly 900 000 reservists and Europe’s largest artillery stock; integrating the Border Guard into this structure allows Helsinki to surge defensive manpower without full mobilisation. For now, the message to potential adversaries—and to corporate mobility planners—is clear: Finland’s eastern door remains open for lawful trade but will slam shut at the first sign of coercion.
The article details a cohort of 150 conscripts rotating through the base alongside 235 full-time personnel. Trainees carry RK62 assault rifles, practise live-fire ambush scenarios and rehearse sealing minor crossings that could be exploited by smugglers or sudden migrant flows. The Guard has also begun deploying camera-equipped drones and is testing motion-sensor networks along initial segments of a new €380 million steel fence that will eventually cover 200 kilometres of high-risk terrain.
From a mobility perspective, the securitisation of the frontier signals more stringent checks on legitimate travellers. Border officials told The Times that interaction with their Russian counterparts has become “strictly formal,” replacing the once-routine exchange of cross-border worker data. Transport operators running the Moscow-Helsinki Allegro night bus have already reported a 25 % rise in processing times at the Nuijamaa crossing.
Multinational companies with personnel shuttling between Finnish and Russian project sites should prepare for sporadic closures and ensure travellers carry secondary proof of purpose—letters of guarantee, invitation letters and detailed itineraries—to avoid denial of entry. The increased military presence could also prompt Russia to impose retaliatory checks on Finnish nationals, so mobility managers are advised to monitor both countries’ advisories.
Analysts note that Finland fields nearly 900 000 reservists and Europe’s largest artillery stock; integrating the Border Guard into this structure allows Helsinki to surge defensive manpower without full mobilisation. For now, the message to potential adversaries—and to corporate mobility planners—is clear: Finland’s eastern door remains open for lawful trade but will slam shut at the first sign of coercion.
