Border crossing points in Southeast Finland have reported a slight increase in traffic over the weekend after Russia waived Covid restrictions.

Since Friday, the number of crossings has risen by about 10 percent. On both Saturday and Sunday, around 7,000 to 8,000 people crossed the border from Russia into Finland.

Around 80 percent of those crossing were Russian citizens.

The majority of visitors came to shop, visit their properties, or spend their holidays at a spa.

"Everything has gone smoothly and there have been no problems," Kimmo Gromoff, head of the Southeast Finland Border Guard, told Yle on Monday.

Lieutenant Otto Juusela, Deputy Chief of the Imatra border checkpoint, pointed out that alcohol may not be taken across the border in either direction, adding that customs officials had confiscated some alcohol beverages.

No major anomalies

"We have questioned Finnish border crossers, but they've said there have been no major anomalies. According to them, they have received good service from the Russian border guard," Juusela said.

During the pandemic, about 1,000 to 2,000 crossings were recorded per day at the border crossing points in Southeast Finland.

That level is still far from peak years of 2012-17, when up to 30,000 people a day crossed the border.

The Border Guard declined to speculate on the number of border crossings in the future.

"Time will tell," Juusela said.

On Friday morning, Russia announced the lifting of Covid restrictions on land border traffic.