EU border agency Frontex is set to send 50 officers and additional equipment to Finland to strengthen its border control efforts, following an increase in asylum seeker arrivals at the country's eastern border with Russia. Finland recently announced the closure of all but one border crossing with Russia due to the influx of undocumented migrants, with Prime Minister Petteri Orpo accusing the Russian authorities of facilitating their entry.

The reinforcement from Frontex is expected to arrive next week. Finland's decision to join NATO earlier this year has strained its relationship with Russia, further exacerbating the situation. Russia denies any involvement in funneling asylum seekers to the Finnish border. In November alone, over 600 asylum seekers entered Finland from Russia, compared to just a few dozen in previous months. The majority of those arriving are young men from countries including Yemen, Afghanistan, Kenya, Morocco, Pakistan, Somalia, and Syria.