Estonia will shut all border crossings with Russia from 1 December following a suspected sabotage attempt over the weekend against a drone manufacturing company in the Baltic state. Authorities stated that the operation was ordered by Russia’s GRU military intelligence service.
On Saturday morning, security personnel detained eight individuals during an attempted assault on Threod Systems, a defence enterprise that produces long-range attack and reconnaissance drones. The company’s security team intervened immediately, preventing any injuries or material damage to the facility.
The internal security service, known as Kapo, announced on Sunday that the operation was executed with the objective of causing an explosion and setting the building on fire. Authorities requested a court order to keep five of the detained individuals in custody, according to the Estonian public broadcaster ERR.
Prime Minister Kristen Michal announced the border shutdown to lower the risk of additional security breaches. He stated that the measure was necessary to send a clear message that attacks on Estonia’s defence industry and capabilities are unacceptable.
Michal connected the hostile acts to the nation’s steadfast backing of Ukraine. He said that Russia aims to instill fear, cause hesitation, and diminish support for Ukraine, while Estonia’s response is the exact opposite by strengthening security, increasing pressure on Moscow, and continuing assistance for Kyiv.
Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna supported the warning. He stated that Russia must understand that hostile actions against Estonia come with consequences and that attempts to intimidate, destabilise, or undermine national security will not go unanswered.
Estonia currently operates three border points with Russia: Narva in the north, alongside Koidula and Luhamaa in the south. Officials did not specify the exact duration of the upcoming border closure.
This incident marks the second attempted assault on an Estonian defence firm that security services have linked to Russia. An earlier arson attack targeted Milrem Robotics in August.
During the previous incident, Estonia summoned Russia’s chargé d’affaires to lodge a protest. The Kremlin denied any connection to the event, describing the accusation as baseless, ill-considered, and having no relation to reality.
Several European intelligence agencies have repeatedly warned about potential threats against defence companies. They have also pointed to growing Russian efforts to recruit citizens within European Union and NATO nations through online messaging platforms to conduct acts of sabotage.
Michal pointed out that the weekend arrests followed specific warnings issued by security agencies to the local defence sector. He noted that authorities do not warn about threats without reason, adding that preparedness clearly paid off in this instance.
