Media: Finnish military secretly conclude agreements with land owners near the border with the Russian Federation

The Finnish Defense Forces began to conclude secret agreements with the owners of land plots on the border with Russia to begin the construction of fortifications on their territory. For this, the owners are paid 750 euros at a time ($795 at the current exchange rate) and 4,800 euros ($5,086) for each hectare that the military will use. About it reported newspaper Helsingin Sanomat.

“Over the past year and a half, dozens of landowners have entered into secret land use agreements that allow construction of fortifications on their properties to begin with a day’s notice. <...> The Finnish Defense Forces began to conclude such agreements about six years ago, but after the start of the special operation the process accelerated,” the publication notes.

The newspaper noted that after signing such agreements are classified. The agreements are valid for 20 years.

Land owners can receive notifications about the start of work on sites both in writing and by email at least 24 hours in advance. If their property is damaged during construction, the losses will be compensated separately.

The Finnish military will also be able to conduct exercises in such areas for up to 14 days a year. They will be able to group troops, move equipment, equip warehouses, and install security.

Finland announced its intention to build a fortified fence on the border with Russia in June 2022. The fence may appear in the eastern part of the border to protect against “threats of a hybrid nature,” including from possible “migration for the purpose of political pressure.”