Interior minister: Russia trying to paint Estonia as an unfriendly state

Russia trying to paint Estonia as an unfriendly state, interior minister Lauri Läänemets says. Photo: Mihkel Maripuu

A video recorded by the Russian Border Guard Service, showing the return of a group of migrants before reaching the Narva border checkpoint, is circulating in Russian media and social media with the aim of demonizing Estonia in the eyes of Russians as an unfriendly and closed country, according to Estonian Minister of the Interior Lauri Laanemets.

«This is a simple hybrid warfare tactic and information operation, with which the Russian border service deliberately tries to provoke incidents at our border point, film them, and then use the recordings for their propaganda purposes,» Laanemets wrote on social media, adding that the Estonian border will remain closed to anyone without permission to enter the country.

«In protecting our border, Estonia is responsible not only for its own internal security but also for the wider security of Europe and the Schengen visa area,» the interior minister added.

Laanemets said that compared to Finland, which even announced the closure of its border points, the situation at Estonia's border inspection posts has so far been calm.

«But we are certainly vigilant and ready to quickly close our border points in the event of increased migration pressure, while also increasing our capability and presence at the green border – in our forests and bogs,» he noted.