Finnish Customs on Saturday said it had released a Russian art shipment it seized the previous weekend.
Sami Rakshit, the director of the Customs' Enforcement Department, said the shipment left the Vaalimaa border crossing, where officials had impounded the artworks the week before on suspicion that the consignment contravened EU sanctions.
St. Petersburg's Hermitage museum thanked the Finnish Foreign Ministry on Telegram for supporting the return of the art.
Moscow on Saturday told news agency AFP the art shipment seized by Finnish customs had been returned to Russia.
Last week, Finnish Customs impounded the artworks, including paintings, statues and antiques, suspecting the shipment broke EU sanctions which also prohibit the transfer of works of art to Russia.
The art, estimated to be worth 42 million euros, had been on loan from Russian galleries to museums in Italy and Japan.
Finland released the impounded art after Brussels tweaked sanctions to allow for museum art transport. The Finnish Foreign Ministry on Friday said the art could return to Russia.
Prior to the release, the Kremlin had summoned Finland's Ambassador to discuss the seizure which Russia claimed was illegal.