The Southeast Finnish Border Guard has apprehended a man who crossed the eastern border at Vaalimaa.
The man applied for asylum after being taken into custody in the forest on Tuesday afternoon. Vaalimaa is located in Virolahti, Finland’s southeasternmost municipality.
The Southeast Finland Border Guard is investigating the incident as a state border crime. It did not specify the man's nationality.
The Commander of the Southeast Finland Border Guard District, Col. Jaakko Olli, has been in contact with the corresponding official of Russia’s Vyborg Region regarding the matter. Vyborg was part of Finland until 1940.
Finland's 1300-kilometre border with Russia has been closed since December 2023. It is Russia's longest border with both the EU and Nato. In April, Finnish authorities announced that Finland's border checkpoints will remain closed indefinitely.
Last year, 39 people entered Finland from Russia through the eastern border without permission. About a dozen people illegally entered Russia from the Finnish side.
