MOSCOW, July 6. /TASS/. Russia withdraws its agreement for operation of the Finnish consulate general in St. Petersburg starting on October 1 as a response measure to Finland’s anti-Russian policy, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement after Finnish Ambassador Antti Helantera was summoned to the Ministry Thursday.

"The response measures to confrontational activities of Finnish authorities include Russia’s withdrawal of agreement for operation of Finnish consulate general in St. Petersburg starting on October 1, the statement reads.

The Finnish envoy was also notified that nine Finnish diplomats from the Finnish embassy and the consulate general in St. Petersburg were declared personae non grate as a response measure to Finland’s expulsion of nine Russian diplomatic representatvies in June, 2023.

Response to security threats

In addition, the envoy was told that the discussed parameters of Finland’s accession to NATO "pose a threat to the security of the Russian Federation, while encouragement of the Kiev regime for war and pumping it with Western-made weapons mean clearly hostile actions" against Russia.

"This course of Finnish authorities cannot be left without response," the Ministry added.

The Finnish envoy was presented with a decisive protest "over the confrontational anti-Russian policy, carried out by Finnish authorities." According to the Foreign Ministry, Helsinki’s course is aimed at "destroying the decades-long Russian-Finnish relations of mutually beneficial cooperation, severance of multifaceted trade and economy, as well as inter-regional ties, direct contacts between citizens; at discrimination of Russians based on their nationality in regards to provision of entry visas; at creating obstruction for normal operation of Russian missions in this country, including reduction of their staff by declaring their employees personae non gratae."

In June, the Finnish Foreign Ministry notified the Russian charge d’affaires about expulsion of nine Russian embassy employees. Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that the expulsion is connected to the interests of NATO cells, controlled by the US.