---
title: "Finland seizes trains from joint venture with Russia"
description: "Finland's state-owned railway company VR said on Thursday it had seized four trains that it co-owned through a joint venture with its Russian counterpart, Russian Railways (RZD), that used to travel between the two countries."
type: "NewsArticle"
publisher: "Daily Maverick"
site: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za"
section: "Newsdeck"
author: "Reuters"
author_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/author/reuters/"
canonical_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2023-12-14-finland-seizes-trains-from-joint-venture-with-russia/"
published: "2023-12-14T11:58:38"
lang: "en-ZA"
word_count: 130
---

# Finland seizes trains from joint venture with Russia

> Finland's state-owned railway company VR said on Thursday it had seized four trains that it co-owned through a joint venture with its Russian counterpart, Russian Railways (RZD), that used to travel between the two countries.

By Reuters · Published 14 December 2023, 13:58 SAST

## Key points
- VR took the wheel of the Allegro trains, seizing them from Russian Railways after years of negotiations and loan redemption in a bid to keep Finland's passenger trains running.
- Finnish rail operator VR redeemed loans of Karelian Trains joint venture, which faced bankruptcy in June 2023.
- VR obtained rights to seize the Allegro trains, consisting of seven carriages each.
- The trains are expected to be put into service in domestic long-distance travel in Finland from 2025.
- Russian Railways declined to comment on the situation.

## Content

The Russian government had neglected its financial obligations towards the Karelian Trains joint venture, VR said in a statement, adding its negotiations with Russian Railways had lasted over one and a half years without any result.

Passenger trains between Finland and Russia were suspended in March 2022, following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

VR redeemed Karelian Trains' loans when the venture faced bankruptcy in June 2023, and obtained rights that allowed it to seize the trains, it said.

Russian Railways declined to comment.

The Allegro trains, tilting high-speed trains also known as Sm6, each consist of seven carriages, according to VR.

The trains are expected to be put into service in domestic long-distance travel in Finland from 2025.

(Reporting by Louise Breusch RasmussenAdditional reporting by Gleb StolyarovEditing by Mark Potter)