Estonia opens bypass roads around Saatse 'boot', ending drives through Russia
Two new bypass roads around the Saatse 'boot' have opened in southeastern Estonia, so drivers no longer need to cross a roughly 400-metre stretch of Russian territory. The six-month project cost €2.5 million plus VAT.
Bypass roads around the so-called Saatse 'boot' have opened in southeastern Estonia, in the Setomaa region. The 'boot' was a section of road passing through Russian territory, and drivers no longer have to cross a roughly 400-metre stretch of Russia to travel between Estonian locations.
The two new sections are a 400-metre bypass around the boot's 'heel' and a longer 4.7-kilometre bypass around its 'sole', which ran along the border. The work took six months and cost €2.5 million plus value-added tax. Estonia's Transport Board also laid 2 km of dust-free surfacing on the nearby Matsuri–Sesniki road and built bus turning points in the villages of Lutepää and Sesniki.
Why the bypass was needed
The Saatse boot consisted of anomalous road stretches on the Värska–Ulitina road that passed through Russia, so drivers had to enter the neighbouring country to stay in Estonia. Guidelines covered minimum speeds, how to behave while driving through the 'sole', and what to do if a vehicle broke down on the Russian side. The road was closed to traffic after an incident in October 2025, when armed Russian uniformed personnel were seen on the boot's road.
Reactions
Meelis Saarepuu, head of the southern prefecture border bureau at the Police and Border Guard Board (PPA), said Estonian law now applies at every point on the road and the PPA can assist people anywhere along it. Local resident Meelike Kruusmäe-Veinberg said the Poogandi road had been in poor condition in winter, with someone going into the ditch every day, whereas the new road is wide and gentle, with edges visible from everywhere.
Local government elder Raul Kudre said the road makes travel easier for many in Setomaa. At least 300 people regularly use the route in summer, and it serves a 50-place care home and a museum. Janar Taal, the Transport Board's southern region head, said the road runs through a nature protection area and a high water table had to be dealt with. Infrastructure Minister Kuldar Leis (Reform) said last autumn's closure had meant longer journeys for ambulances, rescue services and police.
