The Finnish government intends to introduce new restrictions to significantly limit the entry of Russian citizens into the country. According to information from the Finnish state television Yle, the number of tourist visas for Russian citizens is also to be reduced. During his trip to New York, Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto said a draft of the measure had already been prepared and should be ready shortly. Haavisto didn’t give many details, but added that the new restrictions will be very strict.
In these hours, photos and videos of long lines of Russian citizens trying to leave the country, both at airports and near the land borders with neighboring countries, including Finland, are circulating. Many men in particular are trying to flee to avoid being drafted after the “partial mobilization” of some 300,000 reservists was announced to fight in Ukraine. Finnish border guards said on Friday that the number of Russian citizens trying to enter Finland had doubled in a week.
– Also read: Russians try to flee abroad