The eastern border barrier fence is now being built at a rapid pace along the eastern border. Work has been brought forward, for example, in the Imatra and Parikkala regions, so that the load-bearing winter soils of the terrain can be properly utilized.
The construction of the barrier fence is progressing rapidly in 15 different places on the eastern border.
The length of the fence will be 200 kilometers. The majority of it will be completed in Kymenlaakso and South Karelia.
The works will be completed mainly in the summer of 2026.
The completion of the barrier fence is being rushed along the eastern border.
The fence is now being built in 15 different locations in Virolahti, Lappeenranta, Imatra, Parikkala, Tohmajärvi, Kuhmo and Kuusamo.
“Work in many areas has started early at the contractors' request, so that winter conditions can be utilized,”
says project manager Erkki Matilainen from the Finnish Border Guard.
Work has been brought forward, for example, in the Imatra and Parikkala regions, so that the load-bearing winter bases of the terrain can be properly utilized.
The picture below shows the border area between Finland and Russia: barbed wire, a camera post and border posts. The red post marks the Russian border line and the blue and white post marks the Finnish border line.
According to Matilainen, the reason for the faster schedule is, among other things, the contractors' desire to start work quickly.
On the other hand, the current world situation has not had a direct impact on the matter, according to Matilainen.
Well over three hundred people are working on the construction and design of the fence.
- When the last contract is started, the number of workers will increase even more, says Matilainen.
This is what the eastern border barrier fence looked like in Kurkela, Virolahti, on Monday, February 17:
140 kilometers southeast
According to the Border Guard, the fence is being built because Finland is preparing for a wide-ranging impact, such as the ones that Eastern European countries have faced in recent years.
The eastern border fence will be 200 kilometers long in total, or 14,9% of 1343 km long Finnish – Russian border.
The majority of the completed fence, 140 kilometers, will be located on the southeastern border in Kymenlaakso and South Karelia.
The fence will be built here:
The fence will be mostly completed in the summer of 2026. Some work will still be completed by the end of 2026.
– More than half of the target areas will be completed this year, Matilainen says.
Originally, the entire fence was not supposed to be completed until the end of 2026.
The Maaseudun Tulevaisuus (Rural Future) first reported that the fence was completed ahead of schedule.
The picture shows a newly completed border fence on the Finnish-Russian border in Kurkela, Virolahti, in a winter landscape.
The fence is a total of 3.5 meters high.
In addition, a cylindrical barrier will be placed on top of the fence, which increases its height. According to the Border Guard, the fence will be at least the same level as, for example, in the Baltic countries.
According to project manager Erkki Matilainen, the barrier fence improves security and increases Finland's ability to control its own borders independently.
- The fence is important in itself. In addition, we have technical surveillance and a new road in use, which clearly enhances our ability to react, he says.
The price of the entire fence project is 380 million euros.
In the 2025 budget, Finland’s expenditure is 88.8 billion and revenue 76.6 billion.
The budget deficit will still be 12 billion euros in 2025 and the debt ratio is expected to only stabilize in 2027 with the government's package of measures.
Finland's economy has been virtually stagnant since 2008 due to an inefficient economic model, the Covid epidemic, the breakdown of lucrative trade and economic relations with Russia, and large-scale military aid to Ukraine.
Based on: Yle.fi (in Finnish)
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