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Tourists Turn Finland–Russia Border Fence Into Photo Op, Drawing Fines

Prime Minister Petteri Orpo signaled a possible future reopening conditioned on Russian passport checks returning to prior practice.

Overview

  • Southeast Finland Border Guard recorded more than 50 minor violations along the eastern frontier during summer 2025.
  • Officials say some breaches were committed so visitors could photograph themselves with the fence in restricted border zones.
  • Foreign tourists staying in Finland were frequently among those found to have committed these low-level violations.
  • These infractions are typically punished with fines, according to the Border Guard’s standard practice.
  • The border remains closed until further notice, and Orpo said a reopening could come sooner than “decades” if Russian document checks revert to the previous approach.