Finland to expel nine Russian embassy staff

HELSINKI: Nato´s newest member Finland on Tuesday said it would expel nine diplomats working at the Russian embassy in Helsinki for acting in an “intelligence capacity”. “Finland will expel nine people working in the Russian embassy who have been acting in an intelligence capacity,” the government said in a statement.

It added that the “activities are in violation of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations,” and the announcement followed a meeting between President Sauli Niinisto and the country´s Ministerial Committee on Foreign and Security Policy. “The decisions are based on the assessment of Finnish Security Intelligence Service (SUPO),” Marja Liivala, Director General at the Foreign Ministry, told AFP. SUPO said on Twitter that “this is a major setback for Russian intelligence in Finland.”