Russia closes railway border crossings on its borders with Finland, Estonia, and Latvia

KYIV/RIGA - The Russian government has decided to suspend traffic through several railway border crossings on the borders with Finland, Estonia, and Latvia, effective July 1.

Effective July 1, 2026, the Russian government has ordered the temporary suspension of the movement of persons, vehicles, goods, and cargo through railway border crossing points on certain sections of the Russian Federation's state border, in accordance with the list provided in the appendix, the Russian government informs.

Most of the border crossing points being closed are on the border with Finland.

Rail traffic has also been completely suspended through the Pechory-Pskov border crossing on the Estonian border, as well as through the Pytalovo border crossing on the border with Latvia. The Pyitalovo border crossing is located on the Rezekne-Karsava-Pytalovo railway line, which connects Latvia with Russia's Pskov Oblast.

Traffic has effectively been suspended only at the Pechory-Pskov and Pytalovo border crossing points, as Russia's border with Finland had already been completely closed based on a decision by Helsinki.

No reasons have been given for the closure of the border crossing points.

The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been tasked with notifying the governments of Finland, Estonia, and Latvia of this decision.