Russia will close the Ivangorod checkpoint on the border with Estonia to road traffic as of 1 February 2024, ERR reports. Russia said that the move was due to “renovation work,” which will last until late 2025. Estonia has sent Russia a diplomatic note over the decision. The border crossing between Ivangorod and Estonia’s city…
Ukraine’s National Agency on Corruption Prevention (NAZK) has added Lithuanian fish processor Viciunai Group to its list of “International Sponsors of War,” BNS reports. NAZK stated that Viciunai Group has continued production and hiring at its plant in Russia’s Kaliningrad region even after announcing that it was exiting Russia. Viciunai Group declined to comment on…
The EU should ban the import and transit of grain from Russia and Belarus, Latvia’s Transport Minister Kaspars Briskens stated, LSM reports. He urged the Baltic States to adopt a joint position on the issue, whereas Latvia’s state-owned rail operator, LDz Cargo, insisted on the need for a common EU stance. When Estonia’s state-owned rail…
Estonia’s former prime minister and former chairman of the Estonian Centre Party (Keskerakond), Jüri Ratas, expects more people to leave the opposition party, ERR reports. He said that the party’s new chairman, Tallinn’s Russian-speaking mayor Mihhail Kõlvart, has failed to ensure party unity, noting that most of those who have quit are Estonian-speakers. Earlier, two…
Latvia will deport at least 1,167 Russian citizens who failed to comply with the immigration law and apply for permanent residence permits, the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs (PMLP) told LETA. Of the total, 789 are over 60 years old. Those subject to expulsion will have 30 days to leave Latvia if they fail…
GPS systems in the Baltic Sea region, including Estonia, experienced disruptions attributed to Russia at the end of 2023, according to monitoring websites, ERR reports. Estonia witnessed major disruptions along its eastern border and in the south. The disruptions were traced back to Russia’s Leningrad region, with potential spillover into Estonian and neighbouring airspace, according…
Latvia’s State Security Service (VDD) has detained a Russian citizen on suspicion of espionage, LSM reported. VDD searched five premises in and around Riga and confiscated a large volume of media and documents. VDD found that the person had collected and transferred information regarding critical infrastructure and military objects in Latvia for Russian intelligence. In…
Latvian Foreign Minister Krisjanis Karins asserts that even if Ukraine regains control of all conquered territories, Russia will still remain a military threat to Europe, LETA reports. He argued that Russia’s government was rooted in imperialist ambitions and saw external enemies as a means to distract from domestic issues. Karins highlighted the changing security landscape…
Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania have adopted a coordinated approach to improve the effectiveness of EU sanctions against Russia and Belarus, ERR reports. The prime ministers of the three Baltic States stressed the importance of a unified strategy, aiming to prevent fragmentation and serve as an example for other EU border countries. The joint effort includes…