Three Russian border guards were observed crossing into eastern Estonia without authorization. The guards breached the border of the NATO member state around 10am on Wednesday via the Narva River, which acts as the boundary between Estonia on its western side and Russia on its eastern side. Detected by Estonian border guards utilizing surveillance equipment near the Vasknarva pier, the Russian personnel arrived on a hovercraft and disembarked at the entrance to Lake Peipus. They proceeded to walk along the pier, crossing the temporary control line and entering Estonian territory. Approximately 20 minutes later, they returned to the Russian side and departed on their hovercraft, as confirmed by Estonian authorities.
Interior Minister Igor Taro expressed uncertainty regarding the motive behind the incident, emphasizing that there was no immediate security threat. Despite this, the Police and Border Guard Board heightened its presence and patrols in response.
Mr. Taro highlighted that Russian vessels are required to seek permission before entering Lake Peipus from the Narva River under a longstanding agreement. He noted a departure from the norm in this instance, stating that the Russian side had not provided advance notice, leading to the unauthorized crossing.
Rather than labeling the event as a provocation by Russia, the interior minister disclosed plans for a meeting with border officials scheduled for Thursday to ascertain the circumstances surrounding the incident. A video released by the Estonian Police and Border Guard (PPA) depicted the Russian border guards walking along the pier before heading back to the Russian territory.
Eerik Purgel, head of the PPA’s Eastern Prefecture, indicated that authorities have reached out to a Russian representative for an explanation. Surveillance equipment recorded the incident, and an initial inspection was conducted on the breakwater. Official communication has been initiated with the Russian Federation’s border representative to seek clarifications.
Estonia, which shares a border spanning 183 miles with Russia, has witnessed multiple similar occurrences in recent months. Notably, on September 19, three Russian MiG-31 fighter jets breached Estonian airspace for a duration of 12 minutes. Additionally, on October 10, armed and uniformed Russian military personnel were sighted on Estonia’s Route 178, passing through the Saatse Boot, a narrow strip of Russian territory extending into southeastern Estonia.