Moscow/Helsinki, 6 July 2023 (dpa/MIA) - In response to the expulsion of Russian embassy staff from Finland, Moscow is now expelling nine Finnish diplomats from the country.

In addition, the Finnish consulate general in St Petersburg is scheduled to close on October 1, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Thursday.

According to the statement, the Moscow Foreign Office summoned the Finnish ambassador, Antti Helanterä, and accused Finland of having a "confrontational anti-Russian policy." It said Russians were being discriminated against in the issuing of entry visas to Finland.

The statement continued by saying that Finland's accession to NATO posed a threat to Russia's security. Finland joined the defence alliance at the beginning of April.

Finnish President Sauli Niinistö responded on Twitter and wrote that Finland could now close the Russian consulate general in the south-western city of Turku. He added that the Russian reaction was a harsh one.

Finland had previously expelled nine employees of the Russian embassy in Helsinki in June, accusing them of espionage.

Since the beginning of the Russian war in Ukraine more than 16 months ago, there has been a flood of mutual diplomatic expulsions between Western states and Russia.

Photo: MIA archive