Russia Halts Railway Border Crossings with Finland, Estonia, Latvia

Russia has announced the temporary suspension of traffic through several of its remaining railway border crossings with the European Union, affecting Finland, Estonia, and Latvia starting July 1. The government order, published Tuesday evening, did not provide an explanation for the closures or indicate when they might be lifted. Affected checkpoints with Finland include St. Petersburg’s Finland Station, Vyborg, and Svetogorsk, while Pechory on the Estonian border and Pytalovo near Latvia will also be closed. Direct rail links between Finland and Russia were largely suspended following Moscow's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, and Finland had previously closed its entire eastern border due to security concerns. This move comes amid reports of Russia building new military infrastructure near its borders with NATO countries.