Russian border guards briefly enter Estonia in unexplained incursion VIDEO

Three Russian border guards crossed the Estonian-Russian border in eastern Estonia without permission, Interior Minister Igor Taro confirmed.

The motive behind the incursion is unknown, but he emphasised there was no threat to Estonia’s security, Caliber.Az reports, citing Estonian media.

Around 10 a.m. on December 17, Estonian border guards using surveillance equipment detected several Russian border guards on a hovercraft near the Vasknarva breakwater on the Narva River in Ida-Viru County. The hovercraft stopped at the stone breakwater, which straddles both Russian and Estonian territory at the entrance to Lake Peipus. Three border guards disembarked and walked along the structure, crossing from Russia into Estonia before returning to the Russian side. They then re-boarded the hovercraft and returned to Russian territory, according to video footage released by the Estonian Police and Border Guard Board (PPA).

Eerik Purgel, head of the PPA’s Eastern Prefecture, said multiple Estonian patrol units responded. “The incident has been recorded by surveillance equipment, and an initial inspection was also carried out on the breakwater. An official contact has been established with the border representative of the Russian Federation to obtain explanations,” he said.

The PPA has increased patrols along the border to respond to any further incidents. A meeting of border representatives is scheduled for Thursday morning, and Estonia expects an explanation from Russia. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has summoned the Russian chargé d’affaires.

Taro said Estonia does not understand the motives behind the incident. “There was no direct security threat, but the Police and Border Guard Board has significantly increased its presence and patrols,” he said. He explained that Russian vessels must request Estonian permission to navigate from the Narva River into Lake Peipus, citing a longstanding agreement akin to the “Saatse Boot.” “This time they did not inform us, and such an incident has taken place,” he said.

Taro also criticised the quality of Russian border personnel, noting inconsistencies in staffing due to personnel being drawn from other regions. When asked why the border guards were not detained, he said they had already returned to Russian territory: “We are not in a position to go into the depths of Russia to apprehend them.”

Incidents on the Estonian-Russian border have increased in recent years, including airspace violations, removal of demarcation buoys, and unauthorised crossings.

By Vafa Guliyeva