An Estonian with currency broke through the border guards at a checkpoint and fled to Russia

Finnish citizens working on the Saimaa Canal can cross the closed border with Russia if they have the appropriate permit. This was reported to RBC by the press service of the Finnish Border Guard.

The department noted that the entry of specialists is carried out on the basis of a bilateral lease agreement for a section of the Saimaa Canal, as well as the Finnish Border Guard Law “On Permits to Cross the Border.”

“They [the employees] pass through the border crossing point as part of standard border control,” said Anna Lind, head of the agency’s communications department. The border service also added that the agency is not aware of cases of illegal border crossings since 2024.

Earlier, Yle reported that employees of Finnish companies continue to travel to work in Russia, despite the closed border. According to the publication, workers visit the Russian side several times a week in winter and several times a month in summer. During their trips, they remove snow, monitor the condition of roads and equipment, and regulate the water level in the Saimaa Canal.

The head of the Saimaa Canal office, Seppo Kykkänen, noted that all canal structures and equipment belong to Finland. “You need to look after your property under any circumstances,” he said.

Finland closed its border crossings with Russia in November 2023 due to an increase in the number of asylum seekers from the Middle East and Africa. Helsinki accused the Russian side of deliberately allowing migrants through without Schengen visas.