Finland to Cut Down Forests for Fence Along Russia Border

The Finnish authorities plan to cut down forests along the border with the Russian Federation over a stretch of nearly 120 kilometers by the end of the year to install a fence. This was reported by Yle, the public broadcasting company.

The Finnish government hopes to create a 25-kilometer wide treeless zone along the border. A portion of the forest in the southeastern region of the Russian-Finnish border has already been cut down over an area of 45 kilometers.

The Finnish authorities intend to start construction of the fence at the end of August near the Nuijamaa border checkpoint, located 32 kilometers from Vyborg, and place it up to the Vaalimaa border point near the municipality of Virolahti. The first phase involves building walls up to 70 kilometers long, with work expected to be completed next year.

According to Yle, after the first phase, the Finnish government plans to extend the fence section towards the town of Imatra in the northern part of the Karelian Isthmus and the Parikkala municipality near the Russian village of Sivyaro. The final phase will involve the construction of the fence in Finland’s North Karelia and Kainuu regions. The majority of the entire project is expected to be completed by the summer of 2026.