The Finnish army pays the owners of plots on the border with Russia
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The Finnish authorities conclude secret agreements with the owners of land plots on the Russian border, Helsingin Sanomat newspaper reports. According to these agreements, the landowners allow the Finnish army to build defensive fortifications on their land. When signing the documents, they receive a one-time payment of 750 euros. When and if the Ministry of Defense decides to start building fortifications, the owners will receive 4,800 euros per hectare of land that can be used by the military.
According to the newspaper, the army began concluding agreements with landowners about six years ago. However, after the start of Russia’s war in Ukraine in February 2022, the number of contracts increased sharply. According to Saula Hongisto, a representative of the Ministry of Defense of Finland, the owners have become more willing to conclude such contracts because they understand the need to ensure the country’s security.
The military can build fortifications and conduct training on sites whose owners provide them for use by the army. Without a contract, the army could only use private land in the event of a state of emergency.
It is emphasized in the agreements that their conclusion does not necessarily mean the immediate start of military construction. The army can start it when it deems it necessary. The contract is concluded for 20 years.
- Finland announced plans to build protective fences along the border with Russia in June last year. In addition, in order to strengthen the border, the country decided to increase the number of border guards, purchase new equipment for technical surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft. The construction of fences began in February of this year.
- In addition to the perception of Russia as a source of military threat, Finland is also concerned about the possibility of “hybrid influence”, when a neighboring country uses waves of migration from third countries for the purpose of political pressure, as was the case in 2021 on the Belarusian-Polish border.
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