Last Saturday, pro-Ukrainian civil groups of Finland put the Russian tank brought from Estonia on display at the square in front of the Finnish parliament with the assistance of Helsinki authorities, the embassy said.
"Residents of the Finnish capital, outraged by this cynical action, are bringing flowers and candles to the tank to honor the memory of deceased Russian soldiers. The embassy sent a note of protest to the Finnish Foreign Ministry. We emphasize that we regard this sacrilegious act as inciting hatred towards Russia, and we consider the inaction and connivance of the Finnish authorities in carrying it out as leading to further degradation of relations between our countries," the embassy said.
Helsinki has been supporting Ukraine in its conflict with Russia, supplying Kiev with military aid, the total value of which is estimated at some $1.6 billion.
Finland also closed four out of eight checkpoints on the border with Russia from November 18 to February 18, 2024, citing the deteriorating situation with migrants. On Monday, the Russian Foreign Ministry said that it had lodged a protest with Finnish Ambassador Antti Helantera over the move.