By Riffat Kausar
Scandinavian News Agency
A Finnish border watchtower now stands in a private yard just 13 kilometres from Russia, according to a report from SNN News Finland. Mikko Makkonen, a former Finnish Foreign Ministry employee, bought the decommissioned tower for the price of scrap metal and had it set up on his own property.
He took up the unusual hobby in 2006, the report says. These days he often climbs the tower to enjoy the view and, as he describes it, to think about the affairs of Finland’s eastern neighbour.
How a Finnish Border Watchtower Ended Up in a Garden
A watchtower is a tall structure that lets guards look out over a wide area. Decommissioned means it has been taken out of official use and is no longer needed by the authorities.
The Finnish Border Guard has retired hundreds of these towers since the 1990s, the report says. In their place, it has turned to cameras and other technology, which can watch long stretches of border without people standing watch.
When a tower is retired, someone has to take it away. Makkonen spotted an opportunity and bought one for roughly the price of scrap metal, according to the report. It gives no exact figure, and it does not explain how the tower was transported or where it stood before.
Life on Top of a Finnish Border Watchtower
According to the report, Makkonen often goes up the tower simply to take in the scenery. He also uses the height as a quiet place to think about Russia and what is going on there.
The report does not say how tall the tower is or how it was fitted out. It also does not describe whether any permits were needed to keep it on private land. Those details would normally come from Makkonen himself, the local council or the Border Guard.
Why the Story Draws Attention
Finland shares a long land border with Russia, so anything linked to that frontier tends to attract interest. Earlier SNN reporting says Finland has kept its land border with Russia closed since December 2023, which is background and not part of this story’s notes.
Seen against that background, a onetime Foreign Ministry employee gazing eastward from an old guard tower is a striking image. The report treats it purely as a private pastime, not as an official or security activity. It does not suggest the tower is used to keep watch over the border.
Key Facts
- A Finnish man has a decommissioned border watchtower in his yard, 13 km from Russia
- He is identified as Mikko Makkonen, a former Finnish Foreign Ministry employee
- He reportedly bought the tower in 2006 for the price of scrap metal
- The Border Guard has retired hundreds of towers since the 1990s, replacing them with cameras and other technology
- Makkonen uses the tower to enjoy the view and reflect on Russia, per the report
- Finnish Border
FAQs:
Who owns the watchtower?
Mikko Makkonen, a former Finnish Foreign Ministry employee, according to the report.
How close is it to Russia?
About 13 kilometres.
What did he pay for it?
The report says the price was like that of scrap metal, with no exact figure.
Why were the towers retired?
The Border Guard has replaced many with cameras and other technology, per the report.
Did the Border Guard comment?
No statement was included in the report.
What Remains Unclear
Several basic points are still missing. The report does not name the town where the tower now stands, give the exact price, or say how many other former towers have been sold to private buyers. It also includes no comment from the Border Guard on what happens to retired towers.
Readers should look for a direct interview with Makkonen and a statement from the Border Guard on how decommissioned towers are sold or scrapped. This story will be updated when verified details emerge.
Read more about the Finnish Border, Finland’s security measures, and developments along the country’s eastern frontier with Russia.
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