Russian-Finnish dual citizen acquires Åland guest marina

Yle, citing Ålands Radio, reports that a Russian-Finnish dual citizen has acquired the Sandvik guest marina on Kökar, an island in Åland. The company’s board also includes a person with links to Russians connected to a think tank described by experts as close to the Kremlin.

The guest marina operator Sandvik Hällor AB changed ownership in May, according to Ålands Radio. The company is now controlled by Anton Weg, formerly known as Kudryavtsev, who holds both Finnish and Russian citizenship.

Weg is an entrepreneur with real estate agencies in Helsinki and Berlin, as well as hotel and property rental businesses. He is now chairman of Sandvik’s board. Two residents of Kökar also sit on the board.

One of them, Oskar Karlström, has reportedly had contacts with Evgeniy Vasilev, a Russian citizen who has spent time on Kökar. Vasilev says he works for CPAIS, an organisation that experts say has links to Russia’s leadership. He appears in several social media photographs with CPAIS director Svyatoslav Andrianov.

CPAIS describes itself as an independent organisation. However, Margarita Zavadskaya, a researcher interviewed by Ålands Radio at the Finnish Institute of International Affairs, said it has very close ties to the Kremlin. She said the transaction should be examined more closely because of Åland’s special status.

The Border Guard is aware of the transaction but told Ålands Radio that it has no reason to suspect criminal activity in the case. The Coast Guard is nevertheless monitoring developments in the area.

Weg declined to comment on the transfer of the shares, saying he wanted to be left in peace. Former owner Robert Karlman said he had ensured that the change of ownership was legally correct. Board member Karlman said he had forgotten who Evgeniy Vasilev was, despite extensive evidence of their contacts on social media.

Finland has tightened rules on company acquisitions by Russian citizens and banned property purchases by them. The restrictions do not apply in the same way to dual citizens.

Finnish legislation does not apply in Åland in the same way because the autonomous region has its own rules on land ownership and business permits. Since ownership of the property and the business permit remained with the same legal entity, Sandvik Hällor AB, the share transfer did not trigger action.

Ålands Radio said the case raises questions about whether the region’s rules are sufficient to address security risks linked to Russian interests. Sandvik’s guest marina and campsite are in a strategically important location on Kökar, and locals say the service level has declined during the summer.