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By Brendan Cole
Senior Reporter
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Russian border guards crossed into Estonia without permission using hovercrafts, authorities in Tallinn have said, in a move which will add to concerns about Moscow’s provocations near the border with NATO.
Estonian media reported that three Russian border guards entered Estonian territory on Wednesday on the Narva River, which both countries share.
Estonia's Foreign Ministry told Newsweek it had summoned the Russian chargé d’affaires to express its protest. Newsweek reached out to Estonia’s Interior Ministry and Russia’s Foreign Ministry for comment.
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Why It Matters
Estonia is among the members along NATO’s eastern flank that have repeatedly warned of the threat posed by Russian hybrid warfare measures, which include its aircraft buzzing its airspace, GPS jamming and drones entering its territory.
It is unclear whether Wednesday's incident was an accident or a deliberate provocation from Moscow, but it is likely to add to speculation that Moscow is trying to test NATO's resolve.
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What to Know
Estonian media reported that around 10 a.m. local time on Wednesday, three Russian border guards crossed the Estonian-Russian border and were in the NATO member for about 20 minutes without permission. The guards were spotted by surveillance equipment on a hovercraft on the Narva River near the Vasknarva breakwater, located on both Russian and Estonian territory in Ida-Viru County.
Video released by the Estonian Police and Border Guard (PPA) purports to show the guards disembarking at the entrance to Lake Peipu and then walking along the structure. They returned to the hovercraft and returned to the Russian side of the river.
Estonian Interior Minister Igor Taro told local news outlet ETV that Tallinn did not know the motive for the incident and that there was no direct security threat, but the police and border guard had significantly increased their presence and patrols.
To reach Lake Peipus via the Narva River, Russian vessels must request permission to pass through Estonian territory, but for some reason, they did not inform Tallinn this time, he said. Taro added that the Russians were not arrested because they had already returned to Russian territory before that could happen.
There has been an increase in incidents on the Estonian-Russian border since the start of Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. In May 2024, the Russian border guard removed more than a dozen floating demarcation buoys from the Narva River.
In September, three Russian fighter jets violated Estonia's airspace for 12 minutes, prompting anger from Tallinn and alarm from other NATO members.
The following month, uniformed and armed Russian men were seen in the Saatse Boot in south Estonia, a stretch of Russian territory through which Estonians could pass, which the Baltic country has now bypassed with a stretch of road.
Construction started this month of the first bunkers in the southeast of Estonia near the Russian border, part of a wider Baltic Defence Line aimed at countering the threat posed by Moscow.
There will be five bunkers installed, with a further 23 planned in the coming months and up to 600 structures by the end of 2027, Estonian World reported.
What People Are Saying
Estonia's Foreign Ministry told Newsweek it had "summoned the Russian Federation’s chargé d’affaires to express protest and deliver an official note regarding the unlawful crossing of the temporary control line between Estonia and Russia."
Estonian Minister of the Interior Igor Taro told ETV: "There was no direct security threat, but the Police and Border Guard Board has significantly increased its presence and patrols. "
What Happens Next
Estonia has called for an explanation from Moscow about what happened and has summoned the Russian chargé d'affaires.
Meanwhile, Estonia's border representatives will meet on Thursday to discuss the threat. Construction of the Baltic Defence Line will be a focus for the country and its NATO neighbors to counter the future Russian threat.
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