Russia shuts several border crossings with Finland, Estonia, Latvia

Russia has closed several border crossing points with Finland, Estonia and Latvia, suspending the movement of people, vehicles and freight through the affected checkpoints, under a government decree.

The order, published by the Russian government on June 30, covers a number of railway and road border crossings and instructs the Foreign Ministry to notify the governments of Finland, Estonia and Latvia of the decision.

Among the railway crossings to be closed are the St Petersburg–Finlandsky and Vyborg checkpoints on the Finnish border. Road crossings affected include Vyartsilya and Lyuttya in the Republic of Karelia, as well as Svetogorsk in the Leningrad region.

The decree also orders the closure of the Pechory–Pskovskiye crossing on the Estonian border and the Pytalovo checkpoint in Russia's Pskov region on the border with Latvia.

According to the document, the restrictions will temporarily suspend the movement of people, vehicles, goods and freight through the listed crossings. The measures take effect on July 1.

The government did not provide a reason for the closures in the published decree. The duration of the temporary restrictions was not immediately specified.

By Aghakazim Guliyev