Estonia closes Russia border crossings after foiled drone factory arson

Estonia said it foiled an attempted arson attack on the Estonian defense company Threod Systems in Viimsi, north of Tallinn, on the night of Nov. 14, and accused Russia’s GRU military intelligence service of ordering the sabotage.

The foiled attack

Authorities detained eight people who live in Latvia, chief prosecutor Astrid Asi said. The public prosecutor’s office has applied for arrest warrants for five of them. Estonia’s domestic intelligence agency, KAPO, said the aim was to trigger an explosion and set the building on fire, and that suspects were quickly arrested.

Prime Minister Kristen Michal said extensive damage was averted thanks to heightened security measures and a swift reaction by law enforcement. He called the incident part of Russia’s broader hybrid war against Europe, with the aim of decreasing support to Ukraine and pressure on Russia.

Border closure

Estonia will close all border crossings with Russia starting Dec. 1. Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said the move will reduce Russia’s ability to conduct hostile activities in Estonia and strengthen efforts to prevent sanctions circumvention. He said he informed his Finnish, Latvian, and Lithuanian counterparts of the decision.

Tsahkna said on X: "Russia must understand that hostile actions against Estonia come with consequences. Attempts to intimidate, destabilise, or undermine our security will not go unanswered."

Russia did not immediately comment on Estonia’s accusations or the border closure. The Kremlin has regularly denied accusations by European authorities of involvement in sabotage operations.

Why it matters

• Estonia is one of the few EU member states that until now allowed border crossings to and from Russia.
• In August, another Estonian defense company, Milrem Robotics in Tallinn, was targeted in an attempted arson, and Latvian nationals were arrested.
• Estonia has significantly increased its defense spending since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

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Sources

• nypost.com: Estonia closes all Russia border crossings after suspected arson attack
• amp.dw.com: Estonia to close Russian border after drone factory fire
• straitstimes.com: Estonia foils Russian sabotage at drone factory | The Straits Times

This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.