Former Finnish Prime Minister Alexander Stubb has blasted Russia’s decision to don kits in tribute to the USSR during recent ice hockey matches against his homeland.
Russia and Finland faced off the ‘Channel One Cup’ in Moscow at the weekend, when the visitors beat their hosts 3-2 in overtime to win the competition outright.
The event serves as part of the warm-ups for the Winter Olympics in Beijing in February as well as the IHF World Championships in May, which the Finns will host in Tampere and Helsinki.
Rather than the action though, one of the most talked-about points from Sunday’s meeting was Russia’s donning of Soviet-era jerseys to commemorate 75 years of the popular sport in Russia.
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Serving as Finnish prime minister from 2014 to 2015, Stubb took to Twitter to voice his disapproval.
“I am surprised and disappointed that Russia was allowed to wear CCCP-shirts in an EHT [Euro Hockey Tour] match against Finland,” he began.
“That letter combination and the regime that stood behind it symbolizes authoritarian imperialism and killed millions of innocent people in the process.