Estonia to close all border crossings with Russia after attempted sabotage at defence company
Estonia will shut every crossing point on its border with Russia from 1 December. The decision follows a failed sabotage attempt at Threod Systems, a drone manufacturer.
Estonia will close all crossing points along its border with Russia from 1 December, Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna has announced, as reported by Ukraine's European Pravda. The decision follows a failed sabotage attempt at a defence company and marks a major step by Tallinn against Moscow.
What happened
On 14 November, someone tried to carry out an act of sabotage at Threod Systems, an Estonian company that manufactures drones. The attempt was unsuccessful. Estonia's Foreign Ministry blamed Russia for the incident.
The minister's statement
Tsahkna said Russia must understand that hostile actions against Estonia have consequences. According to him, attempts to intimidate, destabilise or undermine the country's security will not go unanswered. He said that closing the crossings will reduce Russia's ability to conduct hostile activities in Estonia and strengthen efforts to prevent the circumvention of sanctions.
The minister added that he has informed his counterparts in Finland, Latvia and Lithuania about the decision.
Earlier restrictions
Estonia previously confirmed that it would not allow athletes from Russia and Belarus to enter the country to take part in competitions.
