Estonia to close all border crossings with Russia after suspected sabotage plot on drone maker

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 defense 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’s three remaining border crossings with Russia

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.