Russian diplomat’s parking space is ‘annexed’ outside embassy in Finland after activists ‘held a two-man referendum’

• Jarno Virtala and Markus Mattsson painted a Ukrainian flag on the parking spot 
• The parking space was at the residence of Russian diplomat Pyotr Plihin in Turku
• The Finnish pair painted the flag to protest against Russia’s ‘sham’ votes 
• Mr Mattsson said the duo ‘held a two-man referendum on annexing’ it to Ukraine
• The men, who didn’t know each other before, wanted to show support peacefully

A Russian diplomat’s parking space was ‘annexed’ outside the embassy in Finland after two men ‘held a two-man referendum’. 

Jarno Virtala and Markus Mattsson painted over the spot with the Ukraine flag on Wednesday in protest to the votes held by Putin in Russian occupied parts of the country – which Ukraine and its allies dismissed as a sham.

The pair painted the parking spot outside the official residence of the Russian diplomat Pyotr Plihin in Turku, Finland.

Mr Virtala said the idea was his and that he arrived in a hi-vis jacket so he would look like a maintenance worker, according to Insider. 

Jarno Virtala and Markus Mattsson painted over the spot with the Ukraine flag on Wednesday in protest to the ‘sham’ votes held by Putin in Russian occupied parts of the country

While cycling work, Mr Mattson, whose partner is Ukrainian, stopped and decided to help Mr Virtala paint the spot.

On Facebook, Mr Mattson wrote:  ‘We held a two-man referendum on annexing the parking spot to Ukraine.’

‘One hundred percent of the voters agreed and no disagreeing proposals were expressed, so we decided to celebrate the results by painting a flag of Ukraine on the spot.’

The Finnish duo told Insider they did not know each other beforehand and that they had been searching for a way to protest and show support for Ukraine peacefully.

Putin has used the men as justification for an annexation, which was condemned by the UN on Wednesday.

Self-employed property manager Mr Virtala said after the paint had dried, Mr Plihin’s car returned to the spot.

He added that he thought the diplomat ‘did not like the colours at all’ and did not look happy.

The car parking space is reserved for by the city for diplomatic use, according to Yle.

The national broadcaster also reported that yesterday city officials said the paint would not be removed.

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