Estonia: Russia stole thousands of documents from ministries

Russia’s military intelligence (GRU) stole thousands of confidential electronic documents, including business secrets and health data, from Estonian ministries in November 2020, ERR reports. Margo Palloson, director general of the Estonian Internal Security Service (KAPO), said that no state secrets were accessed. The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications lost 360 GB of data in…

Read More

Estonia: Russia conducting cyberattacks in Estonia since 2020

Russia’s military intelligence (GRU) has been conducting cyberattacks against Estonia, other NATO and EU states, and Ukraine since 2020, according to the Estonian Internal Security Service (KAPO), ERR reports. A police investigation identified three GRU officers suspected of involvement in the attacks, and a court has issued international warrants for their arrest in absentia. The…

Read More

Estonia: Facebook blocks ERR article on security agency controversy

US technology company Meta has barred users of its Facebook social media platform from sharing an article on Estonian Internal Security Service (KAPO) officers allegedly attending an event under false names to gather information on members of the Sakala fraternity at the University of Tartu, ERR reports. KAPO and the Estonian government’s communications office categorically denied taking…

Read More

Estonia: Russian professor at Tartu University arrested for spying

The Estonian Internal Security Service (KAPO) has arrested Vyacheslav Morozov, professor of international political theory at the University of Tartu, on suspicion of spying for Russia, ERR reports. Morozov, who is a Russian citizen, was remanded in custody for two months. The University of Tartu terminated his employment contract after the launch of the investigation….

Read More

Estonia: Pro-Russian politician Aivo Peterson charged with treason

Estonia’s Office of the Prosecutor General has charged Aivo Peterson, leader of the pro-Russian political party, Together (Koos), with treason, ERR reports. Also, Estonian citizen Dmitri Rootsi was charged with treason and Russian citizen Andrey Andronov for non-violent activities against Estonia. Rootsi and Andronov are both members of the pro-Russian organisation, Night Watch (Nochnoy Dozor)….

Read More

Estonia: PM “respectfully disagrees” with President on call to resign

Estonia’s Prime Minister, Kaja Kallas, said that she “respectfully disagreed” with President Alar Karis who said that the prime minister should have resigned over a scandal involving business ties that Kallas’s husband had with Russia, ERR reports. This is the first time in 30 years that an Estonian president has urged the prime minister to…

Read More

Estonia: Media space needs protection from hostile propaganda: minister

Estonia’s Minister of Economic Affairs and Communications, Tiit Riisalo (Estonia 200), said that the Consumer Protection and Technical Regulatory Authority (TTJA) had the right to protect Estonia’s media space from propaganda channels of hostile states, ERR reports. Riisalo said that TTJA had blocked 51 TV channels and 273 websites to date. Also, he noted that…

Read More

Estonia: Consumer watchdog wants to regulate news programmes

Estonia’s Consumer Protection and Technical Regulatory Authority (TTJA) has proposed legislation to ensure that media service providers uphold balanced and impartial reporting in news programmes, ERR reports. Currently, Estonian media service providers are subject to license supervision, but there is no provisional control for foreign channels. TTJA plans to consult with other state agencies, including…

Read More

Estonia: Russian propagandist Alexey Yesakov expelled

Estonia’s Tallinn District Court has rejected the appeal of Alexey Yesakov, one of the organisers of the pro-Russian “Immortal Regiment” protest march, against being deported from Estonia, Postimees reports. The court thus upheld an October 2022 ruling of the administrative court. Yesakov was deported and his permanent residence permit was annulled in May 2022 for…

Read More