Finland's border guard says traffic on border with Russia increasing

(Switches dateline to HELSINKI, adds detail) HELSINKI, Sept 22 (Reuters) - Traffic arriving at Finland's eastern border with Russia has "intensified" during the night, the Finnish Border Guard said early on Thursday, while adding that the situation was under control.

Traffic arriving at Finland's eastern border with Russia has "intensified" during the night, the Finnish Border Guard said early on Thursday while adding that the situation was under control. Finland is closely monitoring the situation in neighboring Russia following President Vladimir Putin's order of military mobilization, Finland's defense minister Antti Kaikkonen said on Wednesday.

Wednesday's number of people crossing the border was, however, lower than during the weekend, said the Finnish border guard's head of international affairs Matti Pitkaniitty. He said 4,824 Russians arrived in Finland via the eastern border on Wednesday, up from the 3,133 a week earlier.

Border guards were ready at nine checkpoints, Pitkaniitty told Reuters.

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