News2026.07.01 15:06

Russia suspends rail border crossings with Finland, Estonia and Latvia

BNS 2026.07.01 15:06

Russia has suspended traffic through several railway border checkpoints with Finland, Estonia and Latvia, according to a government order published Tuesday.

The measure, which takes effect Wednesday, temporarily halts the movement of people, vehicles, goods and cargo through designated railway crossings along Russia’s borders with the three countries.

The order does not specify why the crossings are being closed or how long the restrictions will remain in place.

According to the document, the closures affect several checkpoints on the Finnish border, including Vyborg, Vyartsilya, Lyutya, St Petersburg-Finlyandsky and Svetogorsk.

Rail traffic will also be suspended through the Pechory-Pskov checkpoint on the Estonian border and the Pytalovo checkpoint on the Latvian border.

Russia’s Foreign Ministry has been instructed to notify the governments of Finland, Estonia and Latvia of the decision.

Independent Russian news outlet Meduza first reported the order.

In practice, however, only the Pechory-Pskov and Pytalovo railway crossings had remained operational over the past two years. Railway crossings on the Finnish border have already been inactive following Finland’s decision to close its border with Russia.

LRT has been certified according to the Journalism Trust Initiative Programme

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