End comes to last Russia-Europe rail link

Fear of a new Iron Curtain looms, travel between Russia and Europe becomes more and more difficult.

As previously reported by the Barents Observer, Russia continues to maintain its checkpoints on land borders practically closed for normal citizens to leave the country, allegedly still arguing it is for coronavirus reasons.

Air traffic between Russia and Europe is stopped, with a few exceptions like Beograd and Istanbul. Now, the last direct train connection, Allegro between St. Petersburg and Finland suspends operations.

The service will be discontinued from Monday. Last train from Helsinki runs on Sunday morning, and the last train from St. Petersburg to the Finnish capital is scheduled for Sunday afternoon, Finland’s government-owned railway company VR informs.

Finland’s Minister of European Affairs and Ownership Steering, Tytti Tuppurainen, says to Helsinki Sanomat that the train traffic is no longer “appropriate”.

Over the last few weeks, thousands of Russian citizens have left the country with the Allegro train to Helsinki. From now, Russians on travel to Europe will have to fly out with via Turkey, Central Asia, China or the Middle East with non-Russian airlines.

A week after Putin launched war against Ukraine, flag carrier Aeroflot announced it suspended all international flights, except to Belarus. A route from Moscow to Sri Lanka is allegedly scheduled to re-open in April, and other destinations on Aeroflot’s plan includes Tehran, Bishkek, Osh, Baku and Yerevan.

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