Sweden to seize property near naval base over security fears
Citing national security concerns and the growing threat of Russian drone warfare, Sweden is moving to expropriate a property near the Muskö Naval Base in the Stockholm archipelago.
On 25 August, the Fortifications Agency, on instructions from the Swedish Armed Forces, submitted an application to the government to be allowed to expropriate the property. The site is located near one of the entrances to the naval base, and the military says it’s a strategically important place for strengthening the defence of the base, especially against drones.
The Swedish Armed Forces said the property is owned by a person with Russian citizenship who is considered a security risk. The location is the only nearby site outside military control required to establish an effective defence of the base, especially against unmanned systems, it said.
Controversy over ownership continues
The property has been in the spotlight of the Swedish media for several years. Earlier reports had identified Russian businessman Stanislav Aleshchenko as linked to the property, with the formal title reportedly held in the name of his wife, a Swedish citizen. Swedish media have also reported allegations of Aleshchenko’s business ties to Russian state interests. The claims are to be reported and are not in themselves proof of wrongdoing.
The issue of ownership has been raised in Sweden after a review of security risks associated with foreign ownership of property close to sensitive military installations.
In June Defence Minister Pål Jonson announced a government inquiry into amendments to Sweden’s expropriation legislation. The inquiry is looking at what the state can do when the ownership of property poses a threat to national security, for example, espionage or sabotage.
Swedish military warns of drone threat
Developments in Russian drone warfare have changed the security environment facing Sweden, the Swedish Armed Forces said. Unmanned systems can be used for surveillance and intelligence gathering, as well as for direct attacks, it said, creating a need to strengthen protection around military bases.
Sweden’s security environment has not been more serious since the end of the Second World War, says the country’s chief of the defence staff, Lt Gen Carl-Johan Edström. The statement did not say the property had been used for espionage or that drones had been launched from there.
The government will now consider the request for expropriation. Expropriation is under Swedish law the compulsory transfer of ownership of property with financial compensation. If permission is granted, then a legal process would be started to determine the compensation to be paid to the owner.
In March 2024 Sweden became a NATO member, ending more than two centuries of formal military non-alignment. The move followed Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
