Eight Indian citizens caught after crossing Russian-Estonian border

Eight Indian citizens caught after crossing Russian-Estonian border. Photo: Mihkel Maripuu

Eight male citizens of India were detained by Estonian border guards on Thursday after they had illegally crossed the Russian-Estonian border in the Setomaa region earlier the same morning.

The events began to unfold at 8:30 a.m., when local residents informed the police that eight foreign-looking people had been spotted at the Veretina intersection.

Border guards detained the group of foreigners near the village of Masluva, about 1.5 kilometers from the temporary line of control, spokespeople for the South Prefecture of the Police and Border Guard Board told BNS.

All eight are younger men of Indian origin. They were taken to the Voru police station for further inquiry. According to the documents found on the men, they had arrived in Russia via Moscow airport.

Meelis Saarepuu, head of the border guard bureau of the South Prefecture, said the illegal border crossing took place in Setomaa municipality on the newly opened section of the border, where a delay fence has been built and the necessary work has been carried out to prepare for the installation of surveillance equipment, but not enough equipment is in place.

«By now, it is known that the border was crossed illegally at a place where there is a delay fence with razor wire on top, but this alone unfortunately does not completely rule out crossing the border,» the officer said. He added that the prevention of illegal border crossing will become more effective when the border facilities have been fully built and the necessary equipment installed.

The Estonian Border Guard contacted the Russian Border Guard to find ways to send the individuals back to Russia. Negotiations on the subject continue.