ABSTRACT
When the border between the Russian Federation (hereafter, Russia) and Norway and later between Russia and Finland ‘opened’ during the ‘migration crisis’ of 2015 and 2016, the so-called Arctic route through Moscow and Northern Russia emerged as another major channel to the European Union. Migrants from various Asian, African and Middle Eastern countries chose the Arctic route given its cheaper price and, significantly, since it was considered safer than the overcrowded route through the Mediterranean Sea to Greece, Italy and Spain. Due to extensive coverage in social and online media, reports of and rumours regarding the route quickly spread amongst migrant communities and smugglers in Russia and globally. This study examines the Russian state as a legal power operating through informal practices, and the ways in which such informal practices contributed to establishing the Arctic route. Specific attention is paid to informal practices of the state, such as corruption, ambivalent behaviour from state authorities and ambiguous deportation orders. These factors created severe insecurities and pushed migrants to negotiate their daily survival by circumventing and exploiting the state’s legal systems. Simultaneously, smugglers and local businesses using their contacts and expertise contributed to establishing the Arctic route through Russia and its Arctic areas to the Schengen area. These non-state actors functioned as mediators between migrants and the state. This chapter relies on narrated stories and content analysis of the asylum application protocols from 1164 asylum seekers who used the Arctic route and applied for asylum in Finland in 2015 and 2016. The protocols were produced by the Finnish Border Guard, the Police of Finland and the Finnish Immigration Service.
