Russia closes border crossing points on its borders with three NATO countries
Photo: border between Russia and Estonia (Getty Images)
Russia will temporarily suspend traffic through railway border crossing points with Finland, Estonia, and Latvia starting July 1, according to TASS.
"To temporarily suspend, from July 1, 2026, the movement of individuals, vehicles, goods, and cargo through railway border crossing points on certain sections of the state border of the Russian Federation, in accordance with the list attached," the document states.
In particular, the following railway border crossing points on the Russia–Finland border will be closed:
- Vyborg (Leningrad region);
- Vyartsilya and Lyuttya (Republic of Karelia);
- St. Petersburg-Finlyandsky (St. Petersburg);
- Svetogorsk (Leningrad region).
On the Russia–Estonia border, railway traffic will be suspended through the Pechory-Pskovskie crossing point in the Pskov region.
On the Russia–Latvia border, the Pytalovo crossing point, also located in the Pskov region, will be affected by the closure.
Photo: Russian order to suspend traffic through border crossing points (Russian media)
Photo: Russian order to suspend traffic through border crossing points (Russian media)
Russia’s Foreign Ministry will officially send a notification to Helsinki, Tallinn, and Riga about the decision taken by Moscow.
Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski said that there are NATO countries that feel more vulnerable. He named Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, which have been threatened by the Russian dictator.
It is also noted that US Army Europe commander General Christopher Donahue said that the United States will not leave its European allies on their own in the event of a Russian invasion of the Baltic states.
