HELSINKI, March 30 (Xinhua) -- Finnish state railway VR has resumed freight train services crossing the country's border with Russia, VR announced on Wednesday. However, passenger train services remain closed.

       VR closed freight train services at noon on March 27, following sanctions by the United Kingdom against Russian railroads RZD.

       Also on March 27, Allegro passenger trains between Helsinki and St Petersburg were canceled until further notice, with the Finnish government saying the service was no longer appropriate.

       However, VR said it had since carried out talks with UK authorities and banks, and understood that the sanctions do not in fact concern VR.

       "This being the case, we can now continue the important export, import, and transit services," said Lauri Sipponen, CEO of VR.

       VR freight services in 2021 amounted to 37 million tonnes, with the cross-border freight from and to Russia comprising a third of this amount.

       Much of the freight crossing the Finnish-Russian border is transit cargo to or from Finnish ports.