Finland will close all but one of its eastern border crossings with Russia, accusing the Kremlin of waging "hybrid warfare" with a migrant crisis on the border.
ADVERTISEMENTThe European coastguard and border guard agency Frontex has announced that it will deploy 50 officers to Finland's border with Russia.
Helsinki has closed all but one of its border points with its eastern neighbour, and accuses Russia of "hybrid warfare" tactics.
It says the nation is encouraging and assisting migrants to approach the border posts and claim asylum - something that Moscow denies.
Frontex "plans to deploy 50 border guards and other staff, as well as equipment such as patrol cars, to strengthen Finland's border control activities", the agency said in a statement, adding that the deployment would likely begin "as early as next week".
Finland, which is facing an increase in illegal entries into its territory via its eastern border, decided on Wednesday to close all but one of its border crossings with neighbouring Russia.
The Finnish government said it was "clear that foreign authorities and other actors have played a role in facilitating the entry of people into Finland", according to a statement. In it, they also blamed "international crime".
"Frontex's support for Finland goes beyond logistics; it is a demonstration of the European Union's united stance against hybrid attacks on any of its members", Frontex executive director Hans Leijtens said in the statement.
Until now, 10 Frontex officials have been deployed along the 1,300 kilometres of border that Finland shares with Russia.
The Russian authorities reacted on Thursday by announcing that they were stepping up security in the Murmansk border region, where the only border crossing with Finland is still open.
Finnish-Russian relations have deteriorated in recent months, especially since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which led to Finland joining the Western military alliance NATO back in April this year.