Estonia Moves to Ban Property Sales to Russians, Citing Security Risks
Estonia's Interior Ministry is fast-tracking legislation to prohibit Russian and Belarusian citizens without long-term residency from purchasing real estate, a move the government frames as a critical national security measure to prevent properties from being used for intelligence or sabotage operations.
- —Estonia's Ministry of the Interior is fast-tracking legislative amendments to prohibit Russian and Belarusian citizens without long-term residency permits, and companies where they are beneficial owners, from purchasing real estate in Estonia.
- —The proposed restrictions are framed as a national security measure due to ongoing Russian aggression and the potential for real estate to be used for intelligence or sabotage operations.
- —The Estonian government acknowledges that existing restrictions in border areas and on small islands have been ineffective and aims to transition from limitations to outright prohibitions, mirroring actions by neighboring EU and NATO countries.
- —Citizens of Russia and Belarus who hold long-term residency permits in Estonia will retain their property rights, as their backgrounds have already been vetted.
- —As of January 9, 2026, over 70,000 Russian citizens and over 1,000 Belarusian citizens held long-term residency permits in Estonia, while a significant number of Russian citizens with unknown ties to Estonia have acquired property since the full-scale war in Ukraine began.
Recap
Estonia is closing a perceived national security loophole, signaling that its existing real estate restrictions are insufficient to counter potential Russian intelligence and influence operations. The move formalizes a hardening regional consensus among Baltic and Nordic states, treating property acquisition not as a simple economic transaction but as a potential vector for state-sponsored hostile activities. The exemption for vetted long-term residents is a pragmatic distinction, focusing the measure on new or transient individuals with unclear ties.