National security concern: Finland plans to review property agreements of Russia citizens
Photo: Antti Häkkänen (Getty Images)
Finland is considering reviewing property deals by Russian citizens over the past two decades as part of measures to strengthen national security, Antti Häkkänen, the country’s defence minister, said, according to Deutsche Welle.
Read also: Finland boosts counter-drone defenses amid concerns about Russia
According to Antti Häkkänen, the country is considering reviewing property deals with non-EU/EEA citizens, including Russian nationals.
Häkkänen noted that such a review could cover all types of property transactions made in the past 20 years. He emphasized that these measures are necessary to strengthen national security and better monitor real estate transactions.
"Finland has been too naive in controlling property over the past 20 years," he said, adding that the growth in the number of properties makes oversight difficult if security tensions escalate.
Restrictions on Russian buyers
Finland passed a law in April 2025 banning citizens from countries "conducting aggressive war and posing a security threat to Finland" from buying property. While not explicitly naming Russia, the law effectively targets Russian individuals and companies under current international conditions.
The ban does not apply to permanent residents or dual citizens, and similar exceptions exist for Belarusian nationals. According to Yle, Russians purchased 55 properties in Finland between January and November 2025, 35 before the law took effect in July and 20 after.
Additional security measures
In January 2026, Finland recorded its first border intruder detection thanks to a new fence along sections of the border with Russia. The country is also collaborating with Baltic states and the European Commission on establishing a maritime monitoring center.
