Politics · France · 10 hrs ago
Sweden seeks state takeover of Russian-linked villa near naval base
The Swedish military wants the state to take over a villa near a naval base in the Stockholm archipelago.
The 600-square-metre property officially belongs to a Swedish-Russian woman whose husband is said to have links to the Russian state.
The military says its position could help protect naval forces, and fears drones could be launched from there.
Its chief of staff says the owner poses a security threat, while Sweden has reported rising concerns about sabotage, hybrid warfare and intelligence gathering.
A 2022 study identified 157 Russian citizens who owned 247 properties in Sweden, but it did not establish how many are security risks.
Calls are growing for laws to block some purchases and allow state takeovers on national security grounds.
The sources do not say whether the state has approved the requested takeover; neighbouring Finland has banned Russian citizens from buying property since 2025.
Sweden’s armed forces are asking the state to expropriate a 600-square-metre villa near a naval base in the Stockholm archipelago.
The villa is officially owned by the Swedish-Russian wife of a man reported to be linked to the Russian state.
Sweden’s military says the property’s location is important to protecting naval forces and that its owner poses a security threat.
The armed forces fear the property could be used to launch drones or support sabotage and intelligence gathering.
The case has renewed calls for laws to block or requisition property purchases on national-security grounds.
- Who
- Sweden’s armed forces are seeking the expropriation. The villa is officially owned by a Swedish-Russian woman whose husband is reported to be linked to the Russian state.
- What
- The armed forces want the state to take the villa through a forced purchase.
- When
- The request was reported on October 23 and 24, 2026. The date it was made is not stated.
- Where
- The villa is in the Stockholm archipelago, near a naval base.
- Why
- The military says the property’s location could threaten the security of naval forces. It fears drones could be launched from it and that it could aid sabotage or intelligence gathering.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Oscar Almén identified 157 Russian citizens who owned 247 properties in Sweden.
Finland introduced a law prohibiting Russian citizens from buying real estate.
Reports said Sweden’s armed forces were asking the state to expropriate a villa near a naval base.
- Villa size
- 600 square metres
- Location
- Stockholm archipelago, near a naval base
- Official owner
- A Swedish-Russian woman
- 2022 property survey
- 157 Russian citizens owned 247 properties
- Reported request
- State expropriation of the villa
3 sources
What people are saying
This property in particular occupies a decisive position for effectively protecting our naval forces. And this person who owns it also represents a threat to the security of the armed forces. We must therefore act and request expropriation, in other words a forced purchase by the state.
We are seeing an increase in acts of sabotage, hybrid warfare and intelligence gathering.
We had identified 157 Russian citizens who owned 247 properties.