The European Union border agency Frontex announced Thursday that it would be deploying personnel and resources to Finland to combat what it suspects is 'weaponized migration' orchestrated by Russia. Some 50 border agents and other staff will be in place next week, according to Frontex. Finnish authorities said more than 700 migrants from Afghanistan, Iraq, Kenya, Morocco, Somalia, Syria and Yemen have arrived at its border since November 1, most without proper identification, visas or documents. This compares to just a few dozen arrivals in September and October. 'Russia started this, and Russia can also stop it,' says Finnish PM Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo accused Russia of being behind what he called 'a serious disruption of border security,' adding: 'Finland cannot be influenced, Finland cannot be destabilized. Russia started this, and Russia can also stop it.' Orpo called the situation 'a systematic and organized action by the Russian authorities.' Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova denied the accusation, saying, 'Finnish authorities are beginning to make clumsy excuses, rehashing Russophobic sentiment.'
Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo accused Russia of being behind what he called 'a serious disruption of border security,' adding: 'Finland cannot be influenced, Finland cannot be destabilized. Russia started this, and Russia can also stop it.' Orpo called the situation 'a systematic and organized action by the Russian authorities.' Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova denied the accusation, saying, 'Finnish authorities are beginning to make clumsy excuses, rehashing Russophobic sentiment.' Finnish authorities said the change in posture from Moscow is a direct result of Finland setting aside decades of non-alignment policy to join NATO in April. This was a direct response to Russia's February 2022 invasion of neighboring Ukraine. Russia had warned that there would be 'countermeasures' should Finland join the military alliance.
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