Russian Foreign Ministry: Moscow Expels 9 Finnish Diplomats

The Russian Foreign Ministry announced today, Thursday, that it has expelled nine diplomats from Finland in response to a similar action. The ministry stated that it summoned the Finnish ambassador to protest what it described as Helsinki's anti-Russia stance. The Russian Foreign Ministry also declared the closure of the Finnish consulate in St. Petersburg, accusing Finland of pursuing a "challenge" policy towards Moscow. It noted that "the standards currently being discussed regarding Finland's accession to NATO pose a threat to the security of the Russian Federation and encourage the Kyiv regime to continue the war, supplying it with Western weapons, which clearly constitutes hostile acts against our country." Last month, Finland, a neighbor of Russia and the latest member of NATO, announced the expulsion of nine Russian diplomats, accusing them of engaging in intelligence activities.