Russians fleeing conscription have a chance of asylum in the EU. However, there are no signs of a joint approach by the Member States.
The traffic jam already stretches back several hundred meters – and it’s getting longer and longer. In Vaalimaa, Finland’s southernmost border crossing to Russia, about a three-hour drive from St. Petersburg, hundreds of young Russians are currently trying to flee the EU for fear of being drafted. Other border stations are also heavily frequented, reports the Finnish border guard. However, the government in Helsinki wants to refuse entry to most Russians and stop transit through Finland. Strict entry restrictions are planned, explained Prime Minister Sanna Marin.
The Finnish border crossings are currently the only way for Russians to flee by land: other EU countries bordering the country, such as Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland, have not allowed Russian citizens to pass through for days.