Russian-speaking Finns deplore border closure

DW (English)

People living in Finland have been cut off from friends and family in Russia. Helsinki has accused Moscow of ushering migrants from third countries toward Finland, and has sealed the border until at least December 13.

Transcript

00:00 Hello, dad.

00:03 Hello.

00:05 How are you?

00:07 Isn't cheerful?

00:09 It's all the same.

00:11 Instead of hugs and kisses, now only telephone calls.

00:15 Just 200 km separate Evgeny from his father.

00:19 Evgeny and his family live in the Finnish city of La Peranta.

00:23 His dad across the border in Saint Petersburg.

00:27 As Finland shut down its border with Russia,

00:31 Evgeny doesn't know when he will see his father again.

00:35 His dad was recently diagnosed with cancer and suffered a stroke.

00:39 I'm very worried about his health.

00:43 What if he gets worse now and I can't be with him?

00:47 I'm even thinking I would have to leave my family here

00:51 and drive to the border.

00:55 And drive through Murmansk in the north or fly via Istanbul.

00:59 I don't know how to get to him.

01:03 Finland says it's closing its border

01:07 after a rise in asylum seekers from third countries.

01:11 Helsinki blames Moscow for orchestrating emigration crisis.

01:15 Finnish officials believe this move is in retaliation for Finland joining NATO.

01:19 Our aim is to say to Russia

01:23 that we don't accept this.

01:27 It's unacceptable and it needs to be stopped.

01:31 Raja Jossipi in Lapland,

01:35 a thousand kilometers away from Helsinki,

01:39 was the last open border crossing.

01:43 A DW crew went there the day before it closed.

01:47 The situation there was calm.

01:51 The Finnish government decided to shut down the border completely.

01:55 Journalists were shown the pile of bicycles left by those who crossed it already.

01:59 It was a big blow for nearly 100,000 Russian speakers in Finland.

02:03 They mostly live in the south, in cities like Laperanta and Kotka.

02:07 Around 5% of Laperanta citizens are Russian speakers.

02:11 Russian border is only 25 kilometers away

02:15 and many have friends and relatives who live there.

02:19 As Finland shut down the border,

02:23 many here are wondering when they are going to see their loved ones again,

02:27 especially since Christmas time is approaching.

02:31 Evgeny and his wife Victoria are hoping that the border will be open again soon

02:35 and they can spend holidays with their family.

02:39 I really, really hope for a Christmas miracle.

02:43 I believe in it and I think it will happen.

02:47 For now, they keep in touch with their family over the phone every day.

02:51 For now, they keep in touch with their family over the phone every day.

02:55 every day.

02:56 [BLANK_AUDIO]

Category

Transcript

Recommended