The acquisition of over 3000 sqm of property owned by the Russian state is linked to claims for damages from the Ukrainian Naftohaz group. The company owned the infrastructure and stock of natural materials in Crimea, which was annexed by Russia in 2014.
Based on the judgement of the Hague arbitration court last April, Russia is obliged to pay Naftohaz an amount exceeding EUR 5 billion in connection with the business of Crimea. As the Russian State did not pay these compensations, the Ukrainian company is seeking to frost Russian assets in various countries.
Radical Methods
According to the Finnish newspaper, the decision to safe the building and land in downtown Helsinki entered into force last week. The business of Russian ownership in Finland has so far been considered the eventual way of solving problems.
The Russian centre of discipline and culture in Helsinki was founded in the 1970s by the then KGB Department of Cultural Relations. The building, whose facade is decorated with a large mosaic of sickle and hammer, housed, among others, a cinema hall and library. In the following decades after the collapse of the USSR, the center's mission was to advance a affirmative image of Russia among the Finns.
Finnish-Russian relations
Finland has become more extremist in its actions towards Russia since the beginning of the invasion of Ukraine. This is due, inter alia, to a long border between the 2 countries, which could adversely affect the safety of the Finns in the event of the escalation of the conflict. It turns out that even the issue of double citizenship began to rise controversy among the public.
Granting Finnish citizenship to Russians is now a threat to national safety and should be stopped with the current model said Mika Aaltola, the head of the Finnish Institute of abroad Policy.
Finland has besides introduced measures to limit the anticipation of Russian citizens purchasing property. Although this country is not formally mentioned, the Ministry of Defence of Finland proposed a fresh law last period to prevent the possible usage of Finnish resources for destabilising activities in crisis situations.
Statistical data indicate that between 2015 and 2020 Russian citizens purchased around 150-200 properties per year in Finland. Previously, between 2011 and 2014, the number of specified transactions was importantly higher, ranging from 300 to 600 per year. In 2021, around 220 purchases were recorded.
