Estonia to close Russian border crossings after attempted arson attack

Estonia will close all its border crossing points with Russia from December ‌1, its foreign minister said on Sunday,following a suspected sabotage attack on an Estonian defence company that Tallinn blamed on Moscow.

Estonian authorities ‌detained eight people overnight on suspicion of an attempted arson attack ‌on drone maker Threod Systems that they said had been ordered by Russia's GRU military intelligence service. There was no immediate comment from Moscow on Estonia's accusations ⁠or ​its decision ⁠to shut the border crossings. Moscow has regularly denied accusations by European authorities ⁠of involvement in sabotage operations.

"Russia must understand that hostile actions against Estonia come ​with consequences," Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said in a post ⁠on X. He did not specify how long the border closure would ⁠last ​or if an end date had been set.

Estonia, a NATO and European Union member state and a strong supporter of ⁠Ukraine, currently has three open border crossings with Russia at Narva, Luhamaa ⁠and Koidula, ⁠which admit pedestrians and freight, according to Estonian public broadcaster ERR.