Strategy - changing operating environment requires resources and competence

The changed operating environment requires even more resources, knowledge and competence. The lines between normal, disturbance and emergency conditions have become blurred. The Border Guard responds to changes with determination. 

Russia’s extensive attack on Ukraine and Finland’s entry into a military alliance have resulted in fundamental changes in the Finnish security environment.  The unstable situation at Finland’s eastern border, as well as in the sea areas, continued for its third year. By Government decision, the border crossing points on the eastern border were closed throughout the year, and applying for international protection was concentrated to border crossing points for air and water traffic.

The Border Guard published a new strategy ‘Safety and security in all circumstances – Strategy of the Finnish Border Guard 2030’ to reflect the change.

The importance of the Baltic Sea for crisis resilience has increased

The importance of the Baltic Sea region to Finland's economy and crisis resilience has increased.

State interference is also possible at the Baltic Sea. The damages to critical underwater structures in the Finnish sea areas, as well as risk for accidents and maritime pollution required special attention from the Border Guard.

The risks for major and multisectoral maritime accidents and disruptions, as well as marine pollution, remain on a high level. Jamming of satellite positioning systems, manipulation of vessel identification system, as well as the operation of the run-down shadow fleet became the new normal in Finnish border and sea areas. 

The new normal

The lines between normal, disturbance and emergency conditions have become even more blurred.

Those involved in cross-border crime and state actors make more and more use of each other. Hybrid influence efforts and methods that different states use against other states have increased. The security environment has become increasingly difficult to predict and the changes in the development may be surprising.

Extensive migration was evident also on the Finnish borders in the beginning of 2024. The risk that multisectoral, simultaneous situations endangering border and maritime security materialise has increased.