Estonia closes road through Russian territory due to presence of Russian troops
TALLIN, Estonia (AP) — Estonia has temporarily closed to its citizens access to a road through Russian territory they normally use after its interior minister reported that a group of Russian soldiers were standing there, Estonia’s public broadcaster said Sunday.
The Estonian Police and Border Protection Board said in a statement on Friday that the closure took place that day “after border guards observed a larger than normal unit moving through the territory of the Russian Federation.”
Estonia’s border agency said the closure of Saatse Boot was necessary to ensure the safety of people in Estonia and to prevent possible incidents.
The Saatse Boot in southeastern Estonia is a small, boot-shaped region of Russian territory extending into Estonia. Estonians and other citizens can pass through the area without permission but are not allowed to stop.
Estonian media reported that the Russian contingent consisted of approximately 10 people. While Russian border patrols are normal in the region, it is unusual for them to stop in the middle of the road, which is also used by Estonians, according to media reports.
Interior Minister Igor Taro was quoted as saying that Russian soldiers left the area again on Saturday. He added that the situation was calm but the road would remain closed at least until Tuesday.
“There is no direct threat of war. This has been constantly confirmed by the Estonian Defense Forces. The Saatse Boot incident has not changed the situation,” daily newspaper Postimees quoted public broadcaster EER as saying.
Estonia raises alarm against Russia’s border violations Three Russian warplanes entered the airspace Last month he stayed there for 12 minutes without permission.
A week ago, Russian drones violated Polish airspace. most serious cross-border incident It has involved a NATO member since Russia’s large-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Other NATO countries on the bloc’s eastern flank have reported similar attacks and drone crashes on their territory.
