Finland drastically cuts tourist visas for Russians

HELSINKI (AP) — Finland is slashing the number of visas issued to Russian citizens to a tenth of the regular amount. The decision, announced in August, came into effect on Thursday and is seen as a demonstration of Finland’s solidarity with Ukraine. Finland shares the longest border with Russia of all European Union members and the Finnish government has faced mounting pressure from politicians and ordinary citizens alike to restrict the movement of Russian tourists through the Nordic country as Moscow continues its war Ukraine.  As of Sept. 1, Finland will permit Russians to apply for tourist visas once week and only in four Russian cities including Moscow, St. Petersburg, Murmansk Petrozavodsk close to the Finnish border.