The move reportedly comes in response to the seizure of Russian property in the EU
Old Town in Helsinki, Finland. © Getty Images/97
Russia has frozen the accounts of Finland’s diplomatic missions on its territory, the Helsingin Sanomat newspaper reported on Wednesday, citing the Finnish Foreign Ministry.
Accounts belonging to the Finnish Embassy in Moscow and to the Consulate General in St. Petersburg “have been frozen and cannot be used,” Finnish diplomats have confirmed, according to the report.
“The situation is serious, and the matter is being investigated,” Helsingin Sanomat quotes from the ministry’s email, adding that Finland has contacted Russian authorities about the matter.
In late April President Vladimir Putin signed a decree establishing a mechanism for temporarily taking over foreign assets in Russia in the event of other countries seizing Russian private or government property based in their jurisdictions, or of a threat to the national, energy, or economic security of Russia.
Billions of euros worth of state assets and property belonging to Russian business people and officials have been frozen in the EU since last year, as part of a sanctions campaign against Moscow over its military operation in Ukraine.
Last month Helsinki imposed restrictions on Russian state property in the Finnish capital, which were later removed. The account of the Russian Science and Culture Center held at national bank Nordea was frozen in March.
In January the Finnish Ministry of Foreign Affairs was reported to have frozen €187 million (over $202 million) worth of Russian assets such as real estate, shares, cars, yachts, and aircraft.
Last week Russian border controls reportedly started to cancel the visas of Finnish citizens trying to enter Russia to go shopping and buy cheaper fuel for their cars.
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