Russia ordered August arson attack on Estonian defence firm, Tallinn says
Estonia's foreign minister accused Russian intelligence of ordering an arson attack on defence company Milrem Robotics in Tallinn. The Kremlin denied the allegation.
Estonia blames Russian intelligence for arson at Milrem Robotics in Tallinn
Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna formally accused Russia's special services on Tuesday of ordering an arson attack on defence company Milrem Robotics, which supplies vehicles to Ukraine. Aljazeera.com reports that Tsahkna made the accusation in a post on X, stating: "We can conclude with certainty that the arson attack … in Tallinn was an act of sabotage ordered by the special services of the Russian Federation."
Tsahkna confirmed that the perpetrators had been apprehended and "no longer pose a threat." Estonia also summoned the Russian ambassador in response to the incident, which took place in August.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov rejected the accusation outright. "Such statements are baseless, ill-considered, have absolutely no relation to reality, and lack any form of reasoning. Consequently, we cannot and will not take such statements seriously," he told reporters.
Tsahkna described the attack as part of a broader Russian campaign. "This act of sabotage is part of Russia's broader campaign across Europe, aimed at intimidating us and weakening our support for Ukraine," he wrote.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, speaking to journalists after Estonia's announcement, said Russia "continues its reckless campaign of hostile actions against NATO allies." He added: "Russia is failing. It is failing on the battlefield in Ukraine, and it is failing to undermine our unity and support for Ukraine."
Estonia is a European Union and NATO member on the alliance's eastern flank. Along with Latvia and Lithuania, it has significantly increased defence spending since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and remains a firm supporter of Kyiv.
Several allied governments condemned the attack and reaffirmed support for Ukraine. French President Emmanuel Macron wrote on X that Paris stood in full solidarity with Estonia, warning: "The proliferation of these hostile acts reflects a dangerous headlong rush by Russia – one that will only lead it into a dead end."
Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kestutis Budrys stated that "Russia's fingerprints are all over" the incident and that Moscow's "hostile activities do not stop at Ukraine's borders." Latvian President Edgars Rinkevics said additional support for Ukraine "will be needed and must be provided."
Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson called Estonia's attribution "extremely serious," characterising the pattern of attacks as "directed against Europe as a whole."
Source: Google News MT