 On the first day of war Soviet aircraft bombed Helsinki , inflicting substantial damage and casualties . In response to international criticism , Vyacheslav Molotov stated that the Soviet Air Force was not bombing Finnish cities , but rather dropping humanitarian aid to the starving Finnish population . The Finns , who were not starving , soon ironically dubbed the bombs " Molotov 's bread baskets " , and named the improvised incendiary device that they used to counter Soviet tanks the " Molotov cocktail " , as " a drink to go with the food " . 
