Finnish state seizes coastal property owned by Russia in Häggesböle, Kirkkonummi

Russian state-owned properties are being seized across Finland. One of the properties affected is a coastal plot owned by the Russian Federation in Häggesböle, Kirkkonummi. According to land registry information, it encompasses 17.3 hectares of land and 3.5 hectares of maritime area, located near the Upinniemi military area. The property was confiscated by the enforcement authority on October 24.

Helsingin Sanomat reported on Tuesday that the Finnish state has seized at least five other properties owned by Russia in Helsinki and Åland, including the Russian Science and Culture Centre in Helsinki. The coastal property in Kirkkonummi has reportedly been used for the recreational purposes of staff from the Russian embassy, according to Yle’s MOT team. The Russian state has owned the properties since the 1970s, as noted in the land registry.

The enforcement actions stem from a decision made by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague in April 2023, which ordered Russia to pay Ukrainian energy company Naftogaz over five billion euros in compensation for damages caused by the occupation of Crimea. Russia illegally annexed Crimea in 2014 and launched a full-scale war against Ukraine in February 2022. The Ukrainian company has sought the seizure of Russian assets in other western countries as well. However, Helsinki has emerged as potentially the first country to carry out such seizures.

While the European Union and the United States have imposed extensive economic sanctions on Russian businesses and individuals, the Russian state remains exempt from these sanctions. The confiscation decision means that these properties cannot be sold or transferred.