The Finnish president's office, in a statement issued on Tuesday, cited a violation of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations as the reason for the expulsions.

“Finnish MFA @ulkoministerio today summoned the Chargé d'affaires of Russia who was notified of the expulsion of nine persons working at the Embassy of Russia identified as intelligence officers,” Finnish Foreign Ministry wrote on Twitter.

The expulsion of the diplomats was determined during a meeting between Finnish President Sauli Niinisto and the ministerial committee on foreign and security policy, local sources reported.

Norway and Sweden, Finland's neighboring Nordic countries, have recently undertaken similar measures by expelling Russian diplomats based on allegations of their involvement in intelligence operations.

The Russian government has consistently denied any wrongdoing on the part of its diplomats and responded by expelling Norwegian and Swedish diplomats in a reciprocal manner.

Finland's recent accession to NATO in April has added strain to its relationship with neighboring Russia. (ILKHA)