The region of South Karelia loses € 1 million a day due to the absence of Russian tourists

Finland intends to complete the construction of a fence along the border with Russia by the summer of 2026. This is reported by Deutsche Welle❶❷.

A fence of almost 200 km worth about 360 million euros is supposedly designed to protect Finland from organized migration from the territory of Russia.

According to the researcher of migration processes from Joni Virkkunen of the University of Eastern Finland, "the fence is also a symbolic gesture on the part of Finnish society and the government, an attempt to create a sense of security."

However, for many Russians living in Finland, the fence and the closure of the border are more of an inconvenience than protection from some hybrid threats, writes DW ❶❷.

"This fence will not help either from drones, if this happens suddenly, or from those who very much want to cross the border. They will find a plot without a fence, if there are any at all. So far they are not visible," said DW❶❷ local resident Russian Chertousova.

The director of the house-museum of veterans in Imatra, Yarmo Ikevalko, is also skeptical about the authorities' idea. According to him, the economy of Imatra has suffered greatly due to the termination of tourist and trade ties with Russia. According to some reports, the region of South Karelia loses 1 million euros of tourism income per day. "I am very sorry that we don't have any relations with the Russians right now and that the economy is suffering," Ikevalko said.

As EADaily reported, only Russian tourists can save the Finnish economy, the political leadership is ruining the country. This was stated in the social network X by Professor Tuomas Malinen of the University of Helsinki.

❶An organization performing the functions of a foreign agent

❷An organization whose activities are deemed undesirable on the territory of the Russian Federation