HELSINKI (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 25th March, 2022) The Allegro train that connects Helsinki with Russia's Saint Petersburg, will stop working on Saturday after its owner claims that running the train is no longer viable, a Finnish newspaper reported on Friday.
Allegro remains the only operating regular rail service between Russia and the EU, after all air service was halted.
Finnish Minister for European Affairs and Ownership Steering Tytti Tuppurainen sent a letter to the state-owned railway company VR on Thursday, stating that the operation of the train was no longer viable, the Helsingin Sanomat newspaper reported.
"It is now clear that the situation with Allegro has changed and the continuation of the Allegro train' movement is no longer viable from the state owner's view," Tuppurainen told Helsingin Sanomat.
It was reported on March 1, that the Finnish VR Group has informed Russian Railways of the decision to "refrain from any contact" but passenger services on the Allegro train continued at the request of authorities to provide the opportunity for Finns to return home.
Everyone who wanted has already returned to Finland, according to Tuppurainen.
On February 24, Russia launched a military operation in Ukraine after the breakaway republics of Donetsk and Luhansk appealed for help in defending themselves against Kiev forces. In response to Russia's operation, Western countries have rolled out a comprehensive sanctions campaign against Moscow, which includes airspace closures and restrictive measures targeting numerous Russian officials and entities, media, and financial institutions. Some foreign companies have decided to leave Russia altogether.
State-owned company Russian Railways is also included in the EU and US sanctions list.
