AreaRead the video transcript expand here
In the future, the NATO area should extend as far as this road – we are on the way to the Finnish-Russian border in South Karelia.
The forest on the right is already part of the Russian border.
Yellow signs along the way mark the restricted area – no unauthorized person is allowed to go further.
Not even at a pony farm.
We meet Sirkku Korhonen.
The development engineer lives with her family of four here in a rural idyll, she also runs a riding stable.
Your property is right in the restricted area – the border zone runs through the middle of your yard.
Sirkku Korhonen, border resident
“The border zone starts here.
So our house is a few meters away from it. It's a good thing that the house itself is not in the restricted zone, otherwise it would be difficult to invite guests, for example.
You can see the actual border right behind our field, where the trees are.
The paper factory over there is already on the Russian side.«
Reporter
»How does it feel here in this new situation?«
Sirkku Korhonen, border resident
»I have to say that it's kind of strange.
In the past, you didn't even think about how close you were to the border.
This is different now.
And the border guards have become much more active.”
Sirkku used to be able to cross the property's own border zone whenever she wanted - today she has to announce the walk with dog Vieno at the border post.
Welcome to the new reality.
We are in the extreme south-east of Finland at the much-cited turning point.
Because with the decision to join NATO after Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine, this border area will change - and life for the people here will change.
Does this make it safer – or less secure?
In Lappeenranta, the administrative center of the region with 72,000 inhabitants, everyone has an opinion.
Reporter
'What do you think of joining NATO?'
Resident Lappeenranta
'Well, my feelings are a bit divided.
What I appreciate about Finland's history is its neutrality, which I found to be a good tradition.
But in the current world situation it was definitely the right decision.
I had to revise my own opinion on that.
«
Inhabitants of Lappeenranta
»It's better that way.
Because we know: Russia is Russia.
You could never really trust them.
They are our neighbors on the border, it's not your fault, and that's why it's better if we Europeans are united.«
Resident of Lappeenranta
'I feel relieved now.
I was very worried.
I couldn't sleep at all, my thoughts always revolved around this situation, what might happen now.
I was born after the war myself, but I always heard the stories from my grandmother and mother, my uncle also fought here in Syväri.
That leaves traces.
It's always scary just hearing the word "war."
Reporter
"What worries you most?"
“Well, the attack on Ukraine happened almost overnight, without any warning.
And we don't have any barriers at the border.
So when the neighbor comes, we and Imatra are the first places to come.
But of course these are such threatening scenarios, so you shouldn't think too much about them, let alone be afraid.
But all the better if we get more support.
«
Ten years ago, only about 14 percent of Finns were in favor of joining NATO, while a full 65 percent were strictly against it.
Polls in March 2022 reversed the columns of figures: 60 percent of people were in favor of accession, 19 percent against.
The longer the war in Ukraine lasted, the more popular it became – until the final decision was made.
In tranquil Lappeenranta, however, it's not just about big politics and alliance issues.
Neighbor relations are a normal part of everyday life in a border town - or were, until recently.
The concern about how things will continue with a lived neighborhood is particularly noticeable here: A visit to the Finnish-Russian society.
Here we meet Tanja Karppinen, the chairwoman of the association.
The association has been organizing trips, meetings and cultural events with partner cities in Russia for decades.
Now everything is on hold.
Tanja Karppinen, President of the Finnish-Russian Society
»Our flagship event is a bike tour from Lappeenranta to Viipuri.
It falls flat.
It's just sad.
It was difficult during the Corona period - and we just saw a glimmer of hope on the horizon.
And that was gone with Russia's attack on Ukraine.
We had to end all relations and cooperation.«
Tatjana Tikka belongs to the Russian-speaking minority in the city.
She has lived in Finland for 18 years, is married here and has three children.
Since the Ukraine war, the mood in the city has changed noticeably - also against fellow citizens with Russian roots.
Tatjana Tikka, photographer
»There were a lot of hate comments, especially on social media we Russians were insulted.
I haven't personally experienced it like that on the street, but I was kind of scared of speaking Russian in public.
«
She hopes people will calm down a bit over time.
Tatjana Tikka, photographer
»At least we Russians don't pose any danger here.
We're not waving Z-flags here or saying that the war and Putin are great, it's not like that.
Maybe people have understood that by now.
But one thing is clear: All of us Russians, no matter where we live, will somehow be stamped by this war.«
The 1,340-kilometer-long border with Russia will become the new NATO external border when the alliance is expected to join.
Border crossings stretch from the south all the way up to the north of Lapland.
One of the most important border checkpoints is in Nuijamaa, South Karelian, about 170 kilometers from St. Petersburg.
Several million vehicles and people cross the border here every year.
It's quiet here now, very quiet.
First the corona measures paralyzed border traffic, then came the Ukraine war.
Border traffic has collapsed by around 95 percent.
The Finnish Foreign Office has advised against travel to Russia since the beginning of the war.
There is currently an entry ban for Russians who want to go to Finland – but there are exceptions.
Petri Kurkinen, Border Guard Nuijamaa
"Anyone who has dual citizenship, has a residence permit or a property in Finland - or can show a very good personal reason."
A single regular bus still runs more or less regularly between St. Petersburg and Lappeenranta.
Today's frontier workers with exception are Russians working or studying in Lappeenranta - or privileged tourists:
Reporter
»How do you feel about the current situation at the border?«
Nurse
»It's just really bad.
I don't even know what to say about the situation.«
Student
»It scares me.
At first I didn't know what would happen to my studies here in Lappeenranta.
That was a problem, it worried me a lot.
But at the moment it works.
I just hope this all ends soon.
«
Reporter
»How difficult is it to travel back and forth now?«
Tourist
'It makes no difference to me.
I have a Dutch and a Russian passport.
Well, there are no flights or trains, but the bus is still running.
(sound editing) I'm visiting friends here and there are cheap flights to Milan from Lappeenranta - so it suits me perfectly.«
The border train station in Vainikkala is also deserted.
The Tolstoy train from Moscow and the Allegro train from St. Petersburg stopped here several times a day.
This has been over since the end of March, and passenger train services have been suspended.
Accordingly, few customers in the only restaurant in town - the "Ukko-Pekka".
The Laihia family has been running their café-restaurant with attached mini market for 25 years.
Mother Margarita is originally from St. Petersburg, she is the owner of the shop, her son Ville is responsible for the famous pizzas.
Ville Laihia, Restaurant Manager
»It was already chaotic during the Corona period.
We often sat together with the family in the evenings and thought about what to do next.
Now we are back at the same point again.
We have to watch what's happening in the world now - and then we'll see."
Margarita Laihia, Restaurant Owner
»Yes, exactly.
I always thought it couldn't get any worse than Corona.
But this is even worse.
«
Jari Laihia, father
"That's the way it is."
Margarita Laihia, Restaurant Owner
"We just hope that the Iron Curtain doesn't fall here for the next ten years."
The train passengers from St. Petersburg and Moscow alone brought 65 percent of the turnover.
Luckily there is another major construction site next door, the workers like to come here for lunch - and the border guards also stop by for a coffee or an ice cream.
The Laihia family used to have two other employees, but today mother and son run the shop together.
How much longer – you have to see:
Margarita Laihia, Restaurant Owner
"If it continues to be this quiet, we can no longer afford to remain open.
That would be really bad because there is nothing else here in Vainikkala.
We are the only service providers, we have the small shop and the restaurant here - the next shop is then 30 kilometers away in Lappeenranta.«
Jari Laihia, Entrepreneur
»I still run a construction company myself that is dependent on rail traffic.
There are many question marks there too.
If the freight trains are no longer allowed to cross the border, then our services will no longer be needed.
So, it's all very uncertain right now.
Remains to be seen."
How does the border region deal with it economically when the borders are tight?
According to official statistics, Russian tourism alone brought one million euros a day to South Karelia - that has to be compensated.
The region is backed by strong timber and metal industries - and future research - as the city's finance director, Jari Iskanius, assures us:
Jari Iskanius, Finance Director City of Lappeenranta
»We have a renowned international university where a lot of research is done on green tech and clean tech.
And we can put that to good use in this situation.
Because the situation also means that we are forced to become CO2-neutral faster than planned and to meet the climate targets.
Now we just have to take advantage of these opportunities.
«
This may have to go faster than expected: Gazprom has not been supplying natural gas to Finland since last weekend.
The hub for Russian gas deliveries was here in Räikkölä near Imatra: Russian gas was delivered to the whole of Finland through the plant of the Finnish gas company Gasum.
Now the faucet has been turned off, a small reminder for joining NATO, so it is assumed here.
The facility is just one kilometer from Sirkku Korhonen's home and stables, where our journey began.
At first glance there is nothing to be felt from the turn of the era, actually the usual idyll still prevails.
The Korhonen family is a bit uneasy about the fact that the border signs on their property might mark the external NATO border.
Sirkku Korhonen, border resident
“It was a bit scary at first.
Doesn't that bring even more uncertainty?
But now you have to say, after everything that has happened, it's the only real alternative.
I don't know if we'll be safer than we used to be, so far we've been safe.
But now it's different - and who knows what's to come.
Maybe life will change here at the border - but I hope not.
Because we have always enjoyed living here – and safely.«
After almost 80 years of neutrality, the people here in the border area have to get used to a new reality.
It won't be easy.