Estonia, a small NATO member bordering Russia, has accused Moscow of directing a thwarted arson attack against a major drone manufacturer and announced plans to close all of its border crossings with Russia. Authorities in the Baltic nation of 1.3 million said they detained eight people overnight over an alleged sabotage attempt targeting the Estonian defense company Threod Systems early Saturday. Officials said the operation had been commissioned by Russia's military intelligence agency, the GRU.
Estonia's domestic intelligence service, KAPO, said the objective was to cause an explosion and set the building on fire, and that suspects were arrested quickly. It warned against considering such job offers from Russia, saying the consequences are severe. All eight suspects are Latvian nationals, according to Estonia's Ministry of Defense, and prosecutors have sought arrest warrants for five of them. Latvia, which also belongs to NATO, has a sizable Russian-speaking minority.S1
The border crossings are scheduled to close on Dec. 1. Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna wrote on X on Sunday that Russia must understand hostile actions against Estonia will have consequences. Prime Minister Kristen Michal said the swift law enforcement response prevented serious damage to the drone maker's facility, and he described the attempted attack as part of the broader hybrid war Russia is waging against Europe, aimed at weakening Western support for Ukraine.S1S2
Russia had not immediately responded to the allegations or the decision to close the crossings, and the Kremlin has repeatedly rejected claims from European governments that it is involved in sabotage operations. The incident follows an arson attack in August against another Estonian defense manufacturer, Milrem Robotics, based in Tallinn, which Estonian officials also attributed to Russian intelligence services.S1
Estonia, like its Baltic neighbors Latvia and Lithuania, has been a strong supporter of Ukraine and has sharply increased defense spending since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022.S1
