Finnish Authorities Deny Asylum to Group of Refugees From Russia

Finnish border guards denied asylum to a group of refugees who arrived in northern Finland from Russia, local media reported Sunday.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — The asylum seekers were sent back to Russia, where they have valid residence permits, the Finnish broadcaster Yle said.

Recently, Finland has been receiving an increased number of asylum seekers from Middle East and Northern Africa who arrive in the country through Russia's northern Murmansk Region.

Europe has been beset by a refugee crisis, with hundreds of thousands of undocumented migrants fleeing their home countries in Middle East to escape violence and poverty. EU border agency Frontex recorded over 1.2 million illegal border crossings into the European Union in the first 10 months of 2015.