Finnish defense ministry blocks sale of six properties to Russian citizens

The Ministry says it has denied permits for two Russian citizens attempting to purchase real estate in Finland, citing national security concerns.

Dec 12, 2024 - 11:00

Finnish defense ministry blocks sale of six properties to Russian citizens

finnish defense ministry blocks sale six properties russian citizens city kokemäki finland youtube/kokemäen kaupunki innish minister antti häkkänen has blocked citing national security concerns reported 12 2024 ukraine news ukrainian

innish Defense Minister Antti Häkkänen has blocked the sale of six properties to Russian citizens, citing national security concerns, the Finnish Ministry of Defense reported on 12 December 2024.

The Ministry did not clarify whether the rejected permits were solely for residential real estate or included properties potentially used for espionage, such as Russia’s frequent practice of placing facilities – like churches – near military or critical infrastructure to facilitate spying activities.

The ministry issued two negative permit decisions on 10 December 2024 concerning real estate acquisitions by buyers from outside the European Union (EU) and the European Economic Area (EEA). The rejected applications reportedly involved one property in Pargas and five in Kokemäki, with both buyers being Russian citizens.

“The Ministry of Defense carefully examines the background of each real estate buyer from outside the EU and EEA. Protecting our national security is particularly important in the current security situation,” Minister Häkkänen said.

According to the Ministry, the negative decisions were based on the Act on Transfers of Real Estate Requiring Special Permission, with authorities determining the transactions could threaten national security and hinder Finland’s defense organization.

Finland’s Defense Ministry noted that the decisions have not yet gained legal force.

In October 2023, the Finnish government announced plans to simplify the confiscation process for Russian-owned apartments, with reports indicating that a significant portion of such properties were vacant and their owners unreachable.

Related:

You could close this page. Or you could join our community and help us produce more materials like this. We keep our reporting open and accessible to everyone because we believe in the power of free information. This is why our small, cost-effective team depends on the support of readers like you to bring deliver timely news, quality analysis, and on-the-ground reports about Russia's war against Ukraine and Ukraine's struggle to build a democratic society. A little bit goes a long way: for as little as the cost of one cup of coffee a month, you can help build bridges between Ukraine and the rest of the world, plus become a co-creator and vote for topics we should cover next. Become a patron or see other ways to support. Become a Patron!