The National Enforcement Authority has seized 3.7 million euros to compensate a Ukrainian energy firm for Russian destruction of its property.
The National Enforcement Authority of Finland has seized almost four million euros from the Russian state this year.
In the past, the agency has mostly seized real estate owned by Russia, but this year’s confiscations have been monetary.
The seizures are related to Russia's military operations in Ukraine, based on a claim by the Ukrainian state energy company Naftogaz and its subsidiaries.
The approximately 3.7 million euros placed in temporary seizure originates from the EU's now-defunct external border cooperation programme, in which Finland and Russia both took part.
The programme, which was overseen in Finland by the Ministry of Employment and the Economy, was aimed at supporting development in border areas between the countries. The funds remained in Finland.
According to a bailiff's document, Russia paid its financial contribution of 3.7 million euros before launching its war of aggression against Ukraine in 2022. The border cooperation programme was terminated after the full-scale invasion, and the money ended up at the ministry – from which they have now been seized.
A seizure is a precautionary measure that ensures that the owner of the property cannot sell or transfer the property. It is intended to protect the position of a creditor or claimant.
Since 2024, the Finnish National Enforcement Authority has seized Russian assets worth more than 40 million euros. In late 2022, MTV estimated that Finland had seized nearly 190 million euros' worth of Russian assets in the first half-year after the February invasion.
