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By Ellie Cook
Senior Defense Reporter
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Estonia's government has said reports of spiked tensions on its border with Russia are "exaggerated," after authorities in the country closed access to a road that briefly passes through Russian territory.
Why It Matters
Estonia, like other NATO nations making up the alliance's eastern flank, has been far more concerned by the threat the Kremlin could pose than countries geographically further from Russia. Tallinn last month said three Russian fighter jets, able to carry advanced, nuclear-capable missiles, had violated Estonian airspace for 12 minutes. Moscow denied the MiG-31 aircraft breached NATO airspace while en route to the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad.
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The incident came shortly after an estimated 20 Russian drones crossed into NATO member Poland. Both Warsaw and Tallinn triggered NATO's Article 4, in which member nations come together to discuss "whenever, in the opinion of any of them, the territorial integrity, political independence or security of any of the parties is threatened."
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What To Know
"Reports suggesting that the situation on the Estonian-Russian border is becoming tense are exaggerated," Tallinn's Foreign Minister, Margus Tsahkna, said in a statement posted to social media on Sunday. He said Russia was "acting somewhat more assertively and visible than before, but the situation remains under control."
Tsahkna said Estonian officials had on Friday spotted "seven armed Russian servicemen" on the Russian side of a road in southeast Estonia that flits into Russian territory. Estonian authorities temporarily stopped traffic on the road to swerve any "potential incidents," the minister said.
The small, wedge-shaped chunk of Russian soil that pokes into Estonia is known as the Saatse Boot and roughly 800 meters of road cuts into Russia. Travelers can drive through the Saatse Boot without stopping, but are not allowed to deviate from the road, walk or stop in Russian territory.
Estonia's police and border guard said it had shut access to the Saatse Boot on Friday after guards noticed a "larger-than-usual unit" of Russian personnel. Images and brief clips of what appeared to be a group of armed Russian soldiers, most of whom had donned facial coverings, widely circulated online.
Estonian Interior Minister Igor Taro told the Postimees daily newspaper on Saturday that the Russian troops appeared to have left the area. Newsweek has reached out to the Russian Defense Ministry for comment via email.
The route is a "historical anomaly," Tsahkna said. The road will close in the future and a new route is being built, he said.
What People Are Saying
Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said on Sunday: "To be clear: nothing acute is happening on the border."
"Our goal is to ensure the safety of the Estonian people," Estonian border guard official Künter Pedoski said in a statement published by Estonia's police and border guard on Friday.
What Happens Next
Estonian media reported the road will remain closed until Tuesday, and separately reported last year the new road would open in 2026.
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