After over 75 years, the brothers Knut and Ulf Grüssner can get their family farm back in Finland.
Finnish authorities are to sell around 40 Russian-owned properties at auction, and the money will go to Ukrainian companies affected by the war.
– We think we can get our old childhood home back, says Ulf Grüssner.
The brothers’ house, Solkulla, was confiscated in 1944 when Finland was forced to cede large areas of land to the Soviet Union after World War II. As their father was a German citizen, the property passed to the Russian state under the peace treaty.
– I remember when the cars slid in and the men got out, says Ulf, who was only six years old at the time.
So that the children would not be in the way, one of the Russians took the siblings fishing.
– The Russian got the basket half full of Norse, we thought that was terribly funny. But when we got back, mother was crying on the sofa, and the Russians had left, Ulf says.
Properties in attachment
Since then, the house has been empty. Now the Finnish enforcement agency has seized Solkulla and around 40 other Russian-owned properties. The reason is that Russia owes debts to Ukrainian companies due to war crimes.
If Russia does not pay its debts, the properties will be sold at auction, and the money will go to the Ukrainian companies.
– We are considering joining and bidding to get our old childhood home back. We believe it will work, says Ulf.
Background: Naftogaz and Crimea
When Russia annexed Crimea in 2014, the Ukrainian company Naftogaz lost large gas assets. After a judgment in The Hague, Naftogaz has turned to enforcement authorities in Finland, among others, to receive compensation. Now the Finnish Investigation Agency has seized around 40 Russian-owned properties.