Estonia to close border with Russia

Estonia's opposition party Isamaa has initiated a bill proposing the closure of the border between Estonia and Russia, according to the ERR portal.

The party leader, Urmas Reinsalu, justified the need for such a step by citing increased threats from Russia, including hybrid attacks directed against Estonia and its allies. He stated that Russia's actions pose a serious threat to national security.

Reinsalu noted that both Estonian security services and their foreign partners have repeatedly warned of potential sabotage acts organised by Russian special services. He cited as one example an incident involving the Russian border service, which dismantled buoys on the Narva River that marked the border between the two states.

Furthermore, the politician recalled the terrorist attack in December of last year, which damaged the underwater infrastructure in the Gulf of Finland connecting Estonia and Finland. In his view, this incident confirms the need to tighten border control.

Reinsalu emphasised that the Estonian government and security services possess both the technical capabilities and the legal grounds to close the border immediately. He is confident that such a measure would be a logical response to current security challenges and would allow the country to protect itself from potential threats.