In recent months, the Finnish Transport and Communications Agency Traficom has blocked around thirty business or private flights carrying Russian oligarchs or others subject to EU sanctions, says Ylen MOT’s investigative journalism unit.
European Union prescribed A series of sanctions imposed on Russia after its invasion of Ukraine in February, including the entry of all Russian airlines into EU airports and airspace.
In accordance with the EU directive, Traficom has denied the use of Finnish airspace or landing in Finland, because the flights were operated by a Russian operator or owner, or the flight was ordered by a Russian passenger who may have been on the banned list.
Director of Traficom Jari Pöntinen confirmed to Yle that in such cases flying within the EU is prohibited on aircraft linked to Russia.
Some of the blocked flights trying to use Finnish airspace may have originated from other parts of Europe. Under normal circumstances, intra-EU flights do not require a separate permit from Traficom.
However, due to the sanctions imposed on Russia due to the invasion of Ukraine, practically all private flights and non-EU airlines must send a permit application or advance inquiry about the flight in advance. Based on this application or inquiry, Traficom either allows or rejects flight access to Finnish airspace.
If the applicant does not accept Traficom’s decision, the matter will be referred to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as the Ministry is ultimately responsible for monitoring EU sanctions.
So far, the applicants have accepted all of Traficom’s flight closure decisions, so the ministry has not had to deal with any flight-related cases.
"If we do not receive a permit application, we can receive information from air traffic control or Finavia that a Russian entity is planning a flight. Then we will do our best to find out the background of that flight," Pöntinen explained.
Aircraft ownership is difficult to ascertain
Traficom did not give Yle MOT’s investigative journalism unit more detailed information about the closed flights.
Owners of private jets operated by Russians are often hidden through complex tax havens, and authorities are not always able to track them down.
Pöntinen refused to comment on why Russian operators or passengers may have traveled through Finnish airspace. However, according to MOT’s report, wealthy Russians have been using aircraft registered in Finland for decades.
For example, a Russian-Finnish oligarch Gennady TimchenkoA close associate of the Russian president Vladimir Putinpreviously owned the Finnish airline Airfix Aviation, which had fifteen business aircraft in its fleet.
Finland is a popular transit country for Russians traveling to other Schengen areas, but the Finnish Ministry of Foreign Affairs monitors the extent to which Russians use Finland as a transit country.
The Finnish government has announced that it intends to review its policy on issuing tourist visas to Russian citizens.