On Monday, Russia banned the entry of Ukrainian citizens into Russia through Finnish border crossing points.
Ukrainians can now only enter Russia through the Vientuļi (Ludonka) border crossing point in Latvia or via Sheremetyevo Airport in Moscow.
The Russian government's decision was announced on the Russian Ministry of Transport website.
Only two border crossers
Information about the Russian entry ban seems to have reached Ukrainian travellers.
"Today, only two Ukrainian citizens have tried to reach Russia through the border crossing points in southeastern Finland," said Lt. Col. Jukka Lukkari, deputy commander of the Southeast Finnish Border Guard.
Lukkari did not know whether the two made it across the border.
Most of the remaining passenger traffic between Russia and Finland goes through the border crossings in southeast Finland: Imatra, Nuijamaa and Vaalimaa.
According to the Border Guard of Southeast Finland, last week 778 Ukrainian citizens travelled to Russia through these points. Last month, 1,860 Ukrainians entered Russia via southeastern Finland.
There are many Ukrainian citizens living in Russia and Finland, as well as many Ukrainian citizens in territories occupied by Russia. They have to travel to the territory of free Ukraine through third countries, such as Finland.
In late September, the Finnish Interior Ministry said that approximately 63,700 Ukrainians had been granted temporary protection in Finland since Russia’s full-scale invasion began in February 2022.
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