5 Baltic countries strengthening borders fearing Russia, Belarus will ‘weaponize migration’

By Leila Nezirevic

LONDON (AA) - Five Baltic countries have begin to reinforce their borders with barbed wire Friday amid the ongoing war in Ukraine, according to a media report.

Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland fear that Russia and Belarus will “weaponize migration” by sending refugees through EU countries, said the MailOnline news outlet in the UK.

Russia sent thousands of asylum-seekers to Finland's border in 2015 and 2016, while in 2021, the EU accused Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko of forcing migrants to make illegal crossings into Europe.

Poland has already built a 115-mile steel wall in response and has placed barbed wire around its border with Russia.

Finland and other Baltic states are following suit and are reinforcing their borders with barbed wire.

Finland’s Prime Minister Sanna Marin said the country’s 830-mile border with Russia will be "fortified."

Marin claimed that it would help defend the nation against the "hybrid threat" and possible large-scale and irregular migration “orchestrated by the Kremlin," said the MailOnline.

Stanslaw Zaryn, a Polish government security official, said the wall sends a strong message to Moscow and Minsk that Poland "takes the security and integrity of its borders extremely seriously," according to the Metro news outlet.​​​​​​​

‘I believe that Belarus and Russia will think twice before pursuing again the weaponization of migration," he added.

Polish human rights organizations have criticized its government, arguing the move will deter asylum seekers from seeking refuge.

Human rights groups have also reported that refugees are being subjected to abuse while being forced back into Belarus.

The 2,106-mile border with new barriers will be completed by 2025 across the Baltic states, according to MailOnline.