Border surveillance

The purpose of border surveillance is to maintain security and public order at land and sea borders. Situational awareness obtained through surveillance facilitates the efficient use of resources. Any situations that threaten border security are managed on land and at sea under all circumstances. At the internal borders of the Schengen area, preparedness is maintained to temporarily reinstitute border checks.

Border surveillance is carried out by means of stationary and mobile technical systems and patrolling. Patrols equipped with night vision devices are able to move in demanding conditions both on land and at sea, and they possess the command, control and operational capabilities required for multi-sectoral operations involving public authorities and national defence. Border guard dogs play an important role in border surveillance. Surveillance aircraft and unmanned aerial systems (UAS) are also utilised for border surveillance.

Intensified surveillance on the eastern border

The situation along the land and sea borders remained stable during the first half of the year. In late summer 2023, the Finnish Border Guard intensified border surveillance in response to the instrumentalised illegal migration over the eastern border. This meant, for example, increasing the volume of technical surveillance and patrolling as well as equipping the patrols with more versatile vehicles and devices than usual. To control the situation, temporary barrier systems were built on the eastern border. The Finnish Border Guard received assistance from other authorities and Frontex. The situation remained under control. 

During 2023, within the pilot phase of the eastern border barrier fence project, barrier fences were constructed in Imatra and Salla as well as in the training area of the Border and Coast Guard Academy in Immola.  The pilot phase has provided experience on both the construction of the barrier fence and the applicable tactics. The construction of the barrier fence will continue in spring 2024.

The number of unauthorised border crossings declined from the previous year, at both land and sea borders. There was no significant change in the overall number of territorial violations. The volume of patrolling increased significantly because of the intensified border surveillance along the land border between Finland and Russia. A notable growth was seen in helicopter and UAS patrolling. The volume of mobile technical surveillance increased significantly on the Russian land border. The extent of mutual assistance provided to other authorities dropped to a slightly lower level than in normal years as a result of the end of mutual assistance to manage the pandemic and the initiation of enhanced border surveillance. 

Illegal border crossings (persons, aircraft, vessels)

Year 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023
January - April 9 121 38 12 6
May - August 11 63 37 19 20
September - December 13 19 6 15 11
Total 33 203 81 46 37

Patrolling, hours

Year 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023
Joint patrols 3,131 933 1,880 1,842 1,413
UAS patrolling* 302 335 423 1,347 2,550
Foreigner control**       2,137 3,587
Boat, hydrocopter and hovercraft 23,372 23,726 23,624 26,737 25,687
Patrol vessel 18,097 18,255 18,461 20,099 20,305
Aeroplane 594 618 624 598 565
Helicopter 806 631 448 723 1,436
On foot, motorcycle, snowmobile, car (etc.); dog 83,225 96,988 77,865 77,139 71,592
On foot, motorcycle, snowmobile, car (etc.) 131,386 222,667 215,192 163,089 185,853
Total 260,914 364,153 338,518 293,711 312,988
*) UAS = Unmanned Aerial System
**) New surveillance target

Technical control, hours

Year 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023
Other technical surveillance 32,441 33,341 31,918 39,055 41,173
Mobile surveillance system 1,643,914 2,905,759 3,348,902 3,856,010 4,748,805
Fixed surveillance system 322,240 322,127 318,715 356,972 346,622
Radar surveillance 275,764 298,347 288,550 288,802 296,829
Optical surveillance 294,171 310,990 306,206 318,307 328,578
Total 2,568,530 3,870,564 4,294,291 4,859,146 5,762,007