Estonia to shut down Russian border crossings after drone maker attack

Estonia has announced that it will close all border crossings with Russia beginning on 1 December. This decisive move follows a suspected sabotage attack on a domestic drone manufacturer over the weekend. Estonian authorities stated that the operation was ordered by the GRU, which is the military intelligence service of Russia.

The incident occurred on Saturday morning when eight individuals were detained during an attempted strike on Threod Systems. The company specializes in the production of long-range attack and reconnaissance drones. No injuries or physical damage were reported, as the firm’s security team successfully responded to the threat.

Kapo, the internal security service of Estonia, issued a statement on Sunday explaining that the attackers intended to cause an explosion and set the building on fire. According to reports from Estonia’s public broadcaster ERR, authorities have requested a court order to keep five of the detained suspects in custody.

Prime Minister Kristen Michal explained that the border closure is necessary to lower the risk of future attacks. He emphasized that the action serves to send a clear message that strikes against Estonia’s defence industry and capabilities are unacceptable. Michal connected the incident to Estonia’s ongoing support for Ukraine, noting that Russia aims to instill fear and hesitation to weaken that support.

The Prime Minister stated that Estonia’s response would be the opposite of what Moscow desires. He pledged to strengthen national security, collaborate more closely with businesses and allies, increase pressure on Russia, and continue backing Ukraine. Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna echoed these sentiments, warning that hostile actions against Estonia would have consequences and that attempts to destabilize the country would not go unanswered.

The closure will affect three specific crossing points: Narva in the north, and Koidula and Luhamaa in the south. Officials have not yet specified the duration of the closure, leaving the timeline for reopening the borders open to future assessment.

This is the second attempted attack on an Estonian defence firm that authorities have attributed to Russia. The previous incident was an arson attack on Milrem Robotics in August. In September, Kapo expressed confidence that the Milrem incident was a deliberate and pre-planned attack carried out on behalf of Russian special services.

The security agency noted that the attack fit a broader pattern of Russian operations targeting defence and drone companies, especially those with connections to Ukraine. At that time, Estonia summoned Russia’s chargé d’affaires to discuss the matter. The Kremlin denied any involvement, calling the accusation baseless and ill-considered.

European intelligence services have frequently warned about potential threats to defence companies. They have also noted growing Russian efforts to recruit citizens in EU and NATO countries via online messaging platforms to execute acts of sabotage. These warnings highlight the increasing focus on the defence sector as a target for asymmetric warfare.

Prime Minister Michal highlighted that the arrests came after security agencies had briefed the defence industry on potential risks. He remarked that preparedness matters and that this time, the precautions clearly paid off, preventing significant damage to the company.