The National Enforcement Agency of Finland, an autonomous body dependent on the Ministry of Justice, has communicated this Tuesday that it has proceeded to the seizure of almost four million euros related to Russian funds, following a claim filed by the Ukrainian state energy company Naftogz.

According to details, as a result of this claim and that of its subsidiaries, the institution has authorized the confiscation of a total of 3.7 million euros that Russia had sent to Finland within a European Union cross-border cooperation program, according to information disseminated by the television channel Yle.

This project aimed to promote the development of border areas, so both countries collaborated on it years ago. Russia made its contributions before the start of the invasion of Ukraine, but the program was subsequently canceled and the funds came under the control of the Finnish authorities.

The seizure order will remain in effect until further notice and comes two years after Helsinki took possession of about 40 properties of Russian ownership, in response to demands filed by several Ukrainian electricity companies.

However, Russian authorities maintained that approximately half of these properties are diplomatic headquarters and are protected by immunity under the Vienna Convention, so they sent a note of protest to the Finnish government.