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Russia wants Finland to punish flag burners

Russia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs says it wants Finland to address the burning of the Russian flag on Independence Day earlier this week.

Neljä 612-soihtukulkueeseen osallistunutta henkilöä poltti Venäjän lipun Hietaniemen hautausmaan portilla
Some members of the nationalist 612 procession set the flag of the Russian Federation on fire on Independence Day, 6 December 2022. Image: Silja Viitala / Yle
  • Yle News

Russia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement on Saturday demanding that individuals burning the Russian flag in Helsinki on Tuesday be held accountable.

The request pertains to a few members of the 612 torch procession setting the Russian flag alight during Finnish Independence Day demonstrations on 6 December in the capital. At the time, police instructed the individuals in question to stop the flag burning.

"In Moscow these types of acts—defaming a symbol of the state—are considered unacceptable," the ministry said in its statement, which called on Finland to take steps to prevent similar acts in the future.

In Finland, it's an offence to burn the Finnish flag, but this rule does not apply to the flags of other countries.