Russia closes railway border crossings with Finland, Estonia and Latvia

Key Points:

• Russia has temporarily suspended railway border crossings with Finland, Estonia, and Latvia starting Wednesday, affecting key checkpoints including several on the Finnish border, without providing a specific reason for the closures.
• The closures follow Finland's announcement to collaborate with US defense firm Lockheed Martin to build Europe's first maintenance center for multiple-launch rocket systems, which provoked strong condemnation and threats from Russian officials.
• Finland has heightened its defense posture since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, with the border closed since 2023 amid accusations of Russian hybrid operations and military buildup near NATO borders.
• Speculation about an upcoming Russian military mobilisation this autumn, potentially after the September State Duma elections, is another possible factor behind the border suspension, as Russia seeks to replenish significant battlefield losses.
• Russian authorities have reportedly conducted mobilisation drills recently, but previous partial mobilisation efforts in 2022 faced public backlash, complicating Kremlin plans to recruit tens of thousands of new soldiers monthly to sustain its military efforts.