MOSCOW, August 22. /TASS/. The closure of the border with Russia is part of Finland's preparations for a potential military conflict, while allegations of a hybrid war are a fabrication by Western handlers of the Finnish media, Finnish military correspondent Kosti Heiskanen told TASS.

"Claims that Russia is waging some kind of hybrid war against Finland using Middle Eastern migrants are absolute nonsense," Heiskanen said. "Finland is an EU member, and the bloc advocates for providing humanitarian aid to these migrants crossing the border. I believe the border was closed to build bunkers, military fortifications, and prepare for a potential military conflict."

According to him, "no one who understands the situation — neither journalists nor political observers — can confirm that migrants are waging a 'hybrid war.' It's a lie concocted by Western handlers of the Finnish media, which are controlled by globalists."

The war correspondent noted that regular Finns are tired of the propaganda, but the public "is still buying it."

"Closing the border is a deranged act by President Alexander Stubb. He has ruined the infrastructure and driven the entire Finnish economy into a recession, because it is impossible to imagine Finland without Russia," Heiskanen emphasized.

According to the war correspondent, "Finns can't stand the nonsense fed to them by the Finnish media, but the 'people,' as they say, 'eat it up.'" "Closing the border is a deranged act by President Alexander Stubb. He has destroyed the infrastructure and driven the entire Finnish economy into recession, because it's impossible to imagine Finland without Russia," the war correspondent emphasized.

According to the Finnish broadcaster Yle, the country's authorities have nearly completed the construction of fences along the border with Russia.

However, Yle notes that Finland will not be able to build barriers along the entire border due to a lack of funding, as the country spends approximately 1.8 million euros per kilometer. The total length of the fences is expected to exceed 200 kilometers, with the project costing around 362 million euros. The total border between the two nations is over 1,300 kilometers long.

Plans to build the fence were first announced in June 2022. At the time, the Finnish Ministry of the Interior stated that the government planned to install barriers along the Russian border to counter "hybrid threats." Finland joined NATO in April 2023.