Moscow: Finnish Embassy Targeted in Vandalism Incident
A diplomatic note has been sent to Russia in response to the "unpleasant" incident, according to Ambassador Marja Liivala. Read Full Article at RT.com.
TroibNews 
Finland has sent a diplomatic note to Russia in response to an "unpleasant" incident involving the vandalism of its embassy in Moscow, as reported by Finnish Ambassador Marja Liivala to news agency STT on Sunday.
This incident occurs during a period of worsening relations between the two nations. On Friday, a wall surrounding the embassy was vandalized; the graffiti was in Swedish and proclaimed, “Aland is ours,” likely alluding to the Aland Islands, which is a Swedish-speaking autonomous region of Finland. Additionally, eggs were thrown at the wall.
“The police intervened quickly and detained the perpetrators. There seemed to be five men involved,” Liivala stated in an interview with Finnish outlet Yle News. However, she did not disclose any information regarding the detainees' nationalities.
Liivala characterized the incident as “unpleasant” and noted that efforts were underway to remove the graffiti and repaint the wall. She refrained from sharing specifics about the contents of the diplomatic note and did not speculate on the motivations behind the vandalism, according to Yle News.
Russian outlet RBK reported that the diplomatic note served to remind Moscow of its responsibility to protect the embassy and ensure the safety of its personnel.
This communication follows a previous note that Moscow sent to Finland regarding Helsinki's recent decision to seize Russian assets within the Nordic country. Reports indicate that around 40 properties, including a sea plot on the Aland Islands, were seized in October as a result of a lawsuit from the state-run Ukrainian oil and gas company Naftogaz. Russia has pledged to contest these confiscations legally.
Naftogaz is seeking to enforce a $5 billion arbitration award that was issued in its favor by a court in The Hague in April 2023. This case pertains to property that was nationalized by the Crimean parliament in March 2014, shortly after Crimea joined Russia following a referendum.
Historically, Finland maintained a stance of neutrality; however, relations with Moscow soured significantly after the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022. Following this, Helsinki shifted from its neutral position and joined NATO the subsequent year.
Earlier this year, Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen urged NATO allies to permit Ukraine to utilize donated weapons to target sites deep within Russian territory.
Moscow has operated a consulate in Mariehamn, the capital of the Aland region, since 1940. The Aland Islands, along with Finland, were part of the Russian Empire from 1809 to 1917, achieving independence following the Russian revolution.
The graffiti also included flowers and the letters “SD,” which may have referred to the Swedish right-wing party The Sweden Democrats. However, the party’s press manager clarified that the incident was unrelated to them, as reported by the Swedish branch of the agency.
Mathilde Moreau for TROIB News
This incident occurs during a period of worsening relations between the two nations. On Friday, a wall surrounding the embassy was vandalized; the graffiti was in Swedish and proclaimed, “Aland is ours,” likely alluding to the Aland Islands, which is a Swedish-speaking autonomous region of Finland. Additionally, eggs were thrown at the wall.
“The police intervened quickly and detained the perpetrators. There seemed to be five men involved,” Liivala stated in an interview with Finnish outlet Yle News. However, she did not disclose any information regarding the detainees' nationalities.
Liivala characterized the incident as “unpleasant” and noted that efforts were underway to remove the graffiti and repaint the wall. She refrained from sharing specifics about the contents of the diplomatic note and did not speculate on the motivations behind the vandalism, according to Yle News.
Russian outlet RBK reported that the diplomatic note served to remind Moscow of its responsibility to protect the embassy and ensure the safety of its personnel.
This communication follows a previous note that Moscow sent to Finland regarding Helsinki's recent decision to seize Russian assets within the Nordic country. Reports indicate that around 40 properties, including a sea plot on the Aland Islands, were seized in October as a result of a lawsuit from the state-run Ukrainian oil and gas company Naftogaz. Russia has pledged to contest these confiscations legally.
Naftogaz is seeking to enforce a $5 billion arbitration award that was issued in its favor by a court in The Hague in April 2023. This case pertains to property that was nationalized by the Crimean parliament in March 2014, shortly after Crimea joined Russia following a referendum.
Historically, Finland maintained a stance of neutrality; however, relations with Moscow soured significantly after the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022. Following this, Helsinki shifted from its neutral position and joined NATO the subsequent year.
Earlier this year, Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen urged NATO allies to permit Ukraine to utilize donated weapons to target sites deep within Russian territory.
Moscow has operated a consulate in Mariehamn, the capital of the Aland region, since 1940. The Aland Islands, along with Finland, were part of the Russian Empire from 1809 to 1917, achieving independence following the Russian revolution.
The graffiti also included flowers and the letters “SD,” which may have referred to the Swedish right-wing party The Sweden Democrats. However, the party’s press manager clarified that the incident was unrelated to them, as reported by the Swedish branch of the agency.
Mathilde Moreau for TROIB News
