Court convicts former University of Tartu professor of espionage against Estonian state

The Harju County Court has found former University of Tartu professor Viacheslav Morozov guilty of actions against the Estonian republic. Photo: Kristjan Teedema / Tartu Postimees

The Harju County Court has found former University of Tartu professor Viacheslav Morozov guilty of actions against the Estonian republic and sentenced him to real imprisonment.

The court found Morozov guilty of acting against the Estonian republic in the interests and on behalf of a foreign intelligence service, and sentenced him to six years and three months of real imprisonment.

The time Morozov spent in pre-trial detention will be included in the sentence, and the imprisonment will start from his detention date on Jan. 3.

According to the statement of charges, Morozov collected information in Estonia about the country«s internal, defense, and security policies, as well as the related people and infrastructure.

He relayed information regarding Estonia's political situation, alliances, integration, and social cohesion.

Morozov was a professor of international political theory at the University of Tartu, but the university terminated his employment following the initiation of the criminal proceedings.

Morozov recruited by Russian military intelligence in early 1990s

Margo Palloson, director general of the Estonian Internal Security Service, said that Russian military intelligence GRU recruited former University of Tartu professor Viacheslav Morozov in the early 1990s, however, Morozov actively operated for Russia from 2010 onward.

«He was recruited in the early 1990s while studying at St. Petersburg University and undergoing training in the military department,» Palloson told journalists at a press conference on Tuesday.

Margo Palloson. Photo: Oliver Kaur

«This is a typical place where Russian intelligence recruits its agents,» the head of the ISS added. «Morozov was a cooperating agent, not a active duty officer.»

Morozov's status as an agent in Estonia lasted 30 years, with the first half being inactive as he lived in Russia.

«He had no outlet for Russian military intelligence. When Morozov moved to Estonia in January 2010, his application for a teaching position at the University of Tartu was not directed by Russia. After successfully securing the position, he informed his handlers, who activated him and gave him assignments,» Palloson said.

For 14 years, Morozov regularly collected and relayed information to his handlers.

«He did not have access to classified information from Estonia or other countries, nor did he have access to international intelligence. He did not compromise or manipulate his teaching or research activities,» Palloson noted.

In Estonia, the university was not Morozov's main target but rather a platform.

«As a professor of international relations, he had access to conferences, seminars, institutions, and individuals. His main goal was to gather information on Estonia's internal, foreign, defense, and security policies, as well as information about people working in these fields,» the ISS chief said.

«One must consider that Russian intelligence does not gather information to store it away. The transmitted information is used to plan further intelligence and influence activities, up to and including planning military aggression against Estonia,» he said, adding that Morozov also provided information about Estonian residents, including personal data and characteristics, which Russia could use for targeting future recruitment.

Palloson stated that Morozov was thoroughly trained and guided to ensure a high-level of operational security.

«He operated very cautiously and covertly. He received payment for his activities, which was a modest addition to his salary as a lecturer. He relayed information during meetings in Russia and also had a technical communication device for sending information,» he said.