The Swedish Armed Forces have officially requested the government to expropriate a property near a military base in order to ensure national security.
According to Swedish Television (SVT), the property is located near the Haninge Garrison at the Muskö Naval Base in the Stockholm archipelago.
Currently, this property is the only piece of land surrounding the base that is not under military control but plays a significant role in establishing a complete defense system.
Official Swedish documents indicate that the property is owned by an individual with Russian citizenship.
Some Swedish media outlets have revealed that the owner of the property is closely associated with a Russian oligarch with ties to Moscow. The property is registered under the owner’s wife’s name.
Records show that the land was sold for over 18.5 million Swedish Krona (approximately 1.95 million US dollars) and is currently under construction for a holiday villa spanning approximately 600 square meters.
Security affairs reporter John Granlund from Swedish Television expressed that this property has long been a concern for the Swedish military.
The Swedish Armed Forces have now submitted an application for expropriation to the Swedish Government Office, citing relevant laws to request the legal expropriation of this land for defense purposes.
The Swedish Armed Forces have pointed out that with Russia heavily utilizing drones in the conflict in Ukraine, the threat environment faced by Sweden has changed. The background of the property owner has raised national security concerns regarding this piece of land.
The military has stated that operating drones near this property could pose intelligence risks to the Muskö base and related military facilities. Hence, they are seeking to acquire control over the land through the expropriation process.
According to a report by TV4 Sweden, Defense Minister Pål Jonson emphasized the need for Sweden to ensure that no one can use this location to spy on military facilities or gain tactical advantages.
Chief of the Swedish defense staff, Army Lieutenant General Carl-Johan Edström, stated that Sweden is currently facing the most severe security situation since the end of World War II, emphasizing that there is nothing more important than Sweden’s security.
Two years ago, Sweden ended its centuries-long policy of military non-alignment due to Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine and officially joined NATO.
The military’s request to gain control over the property of a Russian citizen near the Muskö base highlights Sweden’s heightened focus on threats posed by surrounding lands and drones in the new security environment.
Whether the Swedish government will approve this rare expropriation request for the property near the Muskö base remains uncertain. Swedish Television reported that attempts to contact the property owner for comments have been unsuccessful up to this point.