Swedish military seeks to take over Russian-owned estate near naval base

Sweden's armed forces have asked the administration to expropriate a Russia-owned property near a naval base on security grounds.

Key points

• Two years ago, Sweden concluded two centuries of military non-alignment and joined Nato as of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
• Swedish reports say a businessman with links to the Russian state, has been building a luxury house on Muskö island – although his wife.
• In its statement, the military remarked the location had "unique conditions for strengthening the defence of Muskö Naval Base, particularly against drones".
• The development of Russian drone warfare has "changed the threat landscape for Sweden", the military continued.
• It is unclear whether the Russian businessman is at present living in Sweden.

In practice, the military requested the seizure of the beach plot near Muskö base in Stockholm archipelago, citing "the threat from Russian drones and the ownership situation of the property".

Swedish reports say a businessman with links to the Russian state, has been building a luxury house on Muskö island – although his wife. This person holds both Russian and Swedish citizenship, is the registered owner.

Notably, the development of Russian drone warfare has "changed the threat landscape for Sweden", the military continued.

Public broadcaster SVT remarked the property has been "a thorn in the armed forces' side".

Defence Minister Pål Jonson remarked the country needed to "make sure there's no risk of anyone gaining visibility into the site or any kind of tactical edge", Sweden's TV4 noted.

For context, the armed forces' statement quoted Chief of the Defence Staff Carl-Johan Edström as saying that Sweden was "facing the most serious security situation since the end of World War Two".

It is unclear whether the Russian businessman is at present living in Sweden. His wife is documented to have owned the property since 2017.

Taken together, the developments around swedish military seeks to take over Russian point to a situation that is still moving, and the coming days should bring more clarity.