Russia suspends border crossings at railway checkpoints with Finland, Latvia, Estonia
The temporary shutdown halts people, vehicles and cargo through seven checkpoints as Moscow gives no reason for the move.
- Starting today, July 1, Russia is closing seven railway border crossings with Finland, Estonia, and Latvia, according to a government order signed by Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin.
- The closures follow Russia doubling railway freight tariffs on cargo bound for Estonia, Latvia, and Finland on June 1, which an Estonian logistics expert told ERR aims to pressure Central Asian nations.
- Affected crossings include Petersburg-Finlyandsky, Vyborg, Vyartsilya, Lyuttya, and Svetogorsk on the Finnish border, plus Pechory-Pskovskiye bordering Estonia and Pytalovo near Latvia, according to TASS.
- Russia's Foreign Ministry must notify Riga, Tallinn, and Helsinki of the suspension, which halts all movement of people, vehicles, goods, and cargo through the designated checkpoints.
- The closures coincide with Western warnings of potential Russian "provocation" against NATO members, while Latvia considers dismantling "Russian gauge" rail links as part of counter-mobility measures.
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60 Articles
Russia's decision to close borders with neighboring countries may be part of a larger mobilization, says hybrid threat expert Jukka Savolainen.
With a decree that has already come into force (and without explicit reasons), Moscow has closed 7 fundamental transit points on its northwestern border, to Finland, Estonia and Latvia
Direct flights between Russia and EU members remain suspended, while land border crossings with Russia are limited and subject to national restrictions.
Seven connections are affected - five of them with Finland and one with Estonia and Latvia. People, vehicles, goods and goods are no longer allowed to pass through the crossings.
Moscow surprised yesterday with a decision that further strains relations with the European Union. The Russian government has issued an order according to which, as of today, July 1, 2026, it is temporarily suspending traffic through several railway border crossings with Finland, Estonia and Latvia. In total, there are seven checkpoints that have so far allowed limited rail traffic near Russia's northwestern border with NATO. Read also: "We are …
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