The Armed Forces of Sweden have requested the expropriation of a property owned by a person with Russian nationality located near the underground naval base of the Navy in the municipality of Haninge, on the island of Musko, considering that it poses a risk to national security.
Specifically, the Army has demanded that the Swedish Fortifications Agency, the body responsible for managing the infrastructures associated with Swedish Defense, submit a formal request to the Government to expropriate this property, which "represents a threat to the security of the Armed Forces."
The building "is located at one of the entrances to the base and has unique characteristics to reinforce the defense" of the military complex, "especially with drones." "Currently, it is owned by a Russian citizen," the military institution stated in a communiqué, without providing details about their identity.
The Chief of Defense Staff, Carl-Johan Edstrom, emphasized that "there is nothing more important than the security" of the country and highlighted the seriousness of the current context. "We are in the most serious security situation since the end of World War II and the threat to Sweden and the alliance is real," he stated.
According to the newspaper 'Expressen', the property, of around 600 square meters, is linked to the Russian businessman Stanislav Aleschenko, associated with President Vladimir Putin, although officially the property is registered in the name of his wife.
The house, built of concrete and partially excavated into the rock through blasting, was purchased in August 2017 for 18 million Swedish crowns (1.6 million euros). It is located on a hill at the entrance to the base, providing a clear view of the bay to the south.