ESTONIA ACCUSES RUSSIA OF ORDERING ARSON ATTACK ON DEFENCE FIRM

Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said Estonia has concluded that an arson attack on defence company Milrem Robotics in Tallinn in mid-August was an act of sabotage ordered by Russian security services. Writing on X, Tsahkna said the perpetrators had been apprehended and "no longer pose a threat" to the country. He said Estonia had summoned the Russian charge d'affaires over the matter. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov rejected the allegation, telling reporters that "such statements are baseless, ill-considered, have absolutely no relation to reality, and lack any form of reasoning" and that Russia would not take them seriously.

Milrem Robotics supplies military vehicles to Ukraine, according to reports on the incident. Tsahkna described the arson attack as part of what he called "Russia's broader campaign across Europe, aimed at intimidating us and weakening our support for Ukraine." Estonia is a member of both the European Union and NATO, sitting along the alliance's eastern flank, and has accused Moscow of a series of hybrid provocations since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in 2022. Estonia and its neighbours Latvia and Lithuania have increased defence investment in the years since and continue to back Kyiv.

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte responded to Estonia's accusation by telling journalists that "Russia continues its reckless campaign of hostile actions against NATO allies" in an effort to weaken the alliance's resolve and halt support for Ukraine, adding that "Russia is failing." Estonia has not set out further public steps beyond summoning the Russian charge d'affaires and confirming the arrest of those it holds responsible. The Kremlin has given no indication it will respond further to the accusation beyond its denial.