Finnish Embassy in Moscow Vandalized With "Åland Islands Are Ours" Graffiti

The Finnish Embassy in Moscow was defaced with paint and pelted with eggs, Finnish Ambassador Marja Liivala reported to the STT news agency on November 1.

The vandalism included graffiti stating, “The Åland Islands are ours” painted across the embassy’s fence. The Åland Islands, a demilitarized and autonomous archipelago of Finland with a predominantly Swedish-speaking population, were part of the Russian Empire from 1809 to 1918.

Liivala noted that the police have already arrested 5 men in connection with the incident, though their names were not disclosed. Additionally, Finland has issued a formal note to Russia,  without revealing the content of the note.

"Of course, in such cases, it is always customary to send a note that highlights the problem," Liivala said. "Finland takes the matter seriously.”

On October 31, Finland's Coast Guard reported persistent disruptions to satellite navigation signals in the Baltic Sea since April. In recent weeks, authorities have also observed tankers manipulating their location data, likely to conceal visits to Russia, Reuters reports.