Finland’s Ministry of the Interior announced Tuesday that it is considering closing certain crossing points on its eastern border with Russia to stop illegal entries into the country. In its statement, the ministry accused Russia of allowing people to travel across the border without proper documentation, as the number of asylum seekers at the eastern border saw sharp growth in the past few months.

Finland instituted changes into its Border Guard Act in 2022 which gave the government new powers, including imposing “restrictions on border crossings, closing border crossing points and centralizing asylum applications.” In this latest move, the Ministry of the Interior proposed new restriction measures, in line with amendments to the act.

While the number of asylum seekers was still relatively low, authorities have been concerned by a steep increase since August 2023. The majority are people who have crossed through Russia from a third country. Previously, Russia would not let people through without proper documentation, but Finnish authorities allege that there has been a change in the behavior of Russian border officials. They contest that people are being let through despite not having proper documents and that the crossings are linked to international crime. In a post on X, Riikka Purra, the Finnish Finance Minister, stated that the decision was “not about the number of asylum seekers, but about Finland’s national security and the change in Russia’s activities.”

Interior Minister Mari Rantanen said Sunday that the authorities were monitoring the situation and that the government was “ready to use all legislative powers to ensure border security if necessary.” Russia has yet to respond.