This Russian Neighbor Is Building A $600M, 125-Mile Border Fence To Check Putin's Political Muscle

Finland is building a 200-kilometer fence on the Russian border amid growing fears of security as Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine intensifies. 

What Happened: The Finnish Border Guard said in a statement that terrain work began on Tuesday “with forest clearance and will proceed in such a way that road construction and fence installation can be started in March.”

See Also: Vladimir Putin Condemns NATO’s ‘Imperial Ambitions’ As Finland, Sweden Fast-Track Membership

The Border Guard said the fence would be three meters tall with barbed wire on top and the pilot project at the south-eastern border crossing in Imatra is expected to be completed by the end of June. The cost of the fence is expected to be about $597 million.

The Nordic nation shares the longest E.U. border with Moscow, at 1,340 K.M.. At present, Helsinki's borders are secured primarily by light wooden fences. 

Finland's decision to build the fence comes amid fears that Moscow could use mass migration to exert political pressure on Helsinki. There has been a steep rise in Russians seeking to escape conscription to fight in Ukraine after Putin announced partial mobilization last year. 

Meanwhile, Helsinki also moved closer to joining the North Atlantic Treaty Organization on Tuesday. The country's parliament started debating a bill to speed up its bid to join the alliance, with a vote expected on Wednesday.

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