Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha strongly condemned the sabotage against the Estonian defense company Milrem Robotics in Tallinn, which, according to the Estonian authorities, was commissioned by Russian intelligence services. The head of Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry expressed solidarity with Estonia and called on Europe to provide a systemic response to Russian sabotage operations, reports UNN.
Details
Sybiha stressed that an attack on a defense company in the territory of an EU and NATO member state cannot be regarded as an isolated provocation.
"Moscow is deliberately testing the limits of what Europe is prepared to tolerate, probing where the response will be weak, and trying to make sabotage on European soil part of the new normal. Every attack for which Russia does not pay a sufficient price encourages it to go a step further," the minister said.
According to him, Russia is extending its war beyond Ukraine and seeking to strike countries, enterprises, and infrastructure that are important to European security and Ukraine’s defense capabilities. Sybiha said that the response of European countries should include exposing Russian operations, dismantling sabotage networks, bringing those involved to justice, increasing sanctions pressure, and continuing to support Ukraine.
Separately, the Foreign Minister called for a pan-European entry ban for individuals involved in Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, as well as for the EU’s visa policy toward Russian citizens to be tightened to the maximum extent.
"Europe has every reason to reduce the opportunities that Russia can exploit to create threats to European security from within," he noted.
Sybiha also expressed full solidarity with Estonia’s Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna and stressed that Tallinn’s response demonstrates to Moscow that sabotage operations will be exposed and will have consequences.
Context
On September 29, the Estonian authorities stated that the arson attack on the building of the defense company Milrem Robotics in Tallinn during the night of August 15 was an act of sabotage commissioned by the intelligence services of the Russian Federation. Estonia’s Foreign Ministry summoned the chargé d’affaires of the Russian Federation in connection with the incident. No one was injured in the fire. The criminal investigation into the circumstances of the attack is ongoing.
We remind you
Europe is recording an increase in sabotage, espionage, and cyberattacks linked to Russia. However, there is no evidence of preparations for a direct attack on NATO.