In Finland, several properties, including a beach for Russian diplomats, have been seized due to Naftogaz's lawsuit related to Crimea.
The land plot of the Russian Center for Science and Culture in Helsinki has been included in the list of assets of the Russian Federation confiscated by Finnish authorities at the request of NAC "Naftogaz Ukraine" as compensation for losses incurred from Russia's seizure of the company's assets in Crimea, following the decision of the Hague Arbitration.
This was reported by the publication Helsingin Sanomat, citing the debt recovery office.
Another plot that Yle checked is located in Siuntio. Its area is nearly 8,000 square meters. According to this information, the seizure came into effect on October 24, 2024.
The area of the confiscated land plot, where the Russian Center for Science and Culture is located in Helsinki, is 3,326 sq. m. Additionally, the debt recovery office has imposed a freeze on seven apartments in Helsinki due to EU sanctions.
Furthermore, Finnish authorities have confiscated a beach area owned by the Russian state that had been used for the recreation of diplomats, as reported by the local Yle Broadcasting Company.
According to the land cadastre, this plot in Heggesböle in southern Finland contains 17 hectares of land and three and a half hectares of marine waters.
Another plot that Yle examined is located in Siuntio, covering almost 8,000 square meters. This plot was acquired by the commercial representation of the Soviet Union in 1973.
As reported by the publication ASTRA, the Russian embassy in Finland stated that they had not received any official notifications from Finnish authorities regarding the confiscation of Russian property in the country.
“It will be possible to assess the situation and discuss potential retaliatory measures from the Russian side, presumably, after clarifying all the circumstances of what is happening,” the embassy noted.
Meanwhile, the occupying authorities have declared their intention to seek and “nationalize” Finnish property in temporarily occupied Crimea in response to the seizure of Russian assets due to the Crimea claim by “Naftogaz.” This was stated by the head of the illegal “parliament” on the peninsula, Vladimir Konstantinov, as reported by “Crimea. Realities.”
“We will look for something related to Finland in Crimea. That is what we will be working on. We have experience in nationalizing the property of Russophobes. It is not virtual; it is quite real. We will try to extend it to the property of the new NATO member,” Konstantinov wrote on his Telegram channel, adding that Finnish assets fall within the jurisdiction of Russian justice.
ZMINA reported that in April 2023, the Arbitration Tribunal at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague ordered Russia to pay NAC "Naftogaz Ukraine" $5 billion for losses incurred from the seizure of "Naftogaz Group" assets in Crimea in 2014. This concerns compensation for losses and lost property of "Naftogaz" in Crimea since 2014.
This arbitration case against Russia was initiated by "Naftogaz" and its subsidiaries in October 2016, and a claim was submitted to the court in The Hague in September 2017.
The court in Finland has frozen a number of Russian assets in the country based on a claim from the Ukrainian company “Naftogaz.” This action aims to implement the decision of the International Arbitration Court in The Hague from April 2023. This decision is part of Naftogaz's global strategy to recover compensation for damage caused by Russia's seizure of the group's assets in Crimea, according to the Hague arbitration ruling.
On August 5, 2024, the Arbitration Tribunal in Paris, appointed by the Permanent Court of Arbitration to consider the case of “Ukrenergo” against Russia regarding Ukrainian assets in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, confirmed the jurisdiction of the court to hear the dispute.
In July 2024, occupiers in the Kherson region published about a thousand addresses of properties they threaten to seize from legitimate owners.
It is worth noting that the Permanent Representative of the President of Ukraine in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, Tamila Tasheva, has repeatedly stated that Ukraine does not intend to recognize acts that violate human or state rights. This includes decisions regarding “nationalization” or confiscation of property and the establishment of inheritance.
Recently, lawyer and analyst from “Donbass SOS” Taya Avram explained what Ukrainians should do in case of illegal seizure of housing in temporarily occupied territories (TOT). Citizens are also urged not to risk their safety and avoid going to TOT, as the occupiers demand.