On the night of May 23, Russian border guards dismantled more than 20 buoys that had been installed by the Estonian Border Guard Service in Estonian waters to mark the border, UNN reports citing ERR.
Before the war in Ukraine started, the installation of these buoys was mostly by mutual agreement, but since 2023, Russia has not agreed with Estonian positions on the deployment of buoys. We decided to put up the floating signs for the summer season in accordance with the 2022 agreement because they are needed to avoid navigational errors so that our fishermen and vacationers do not enter Russian waters by mistake
This year, Russia has disagreed with the location of about half of the 250 buoys that Estonia has installed under the agreements on the state border and on the deployment of buoys signed between the border services in 2022. The first 50 buoys were installed on May 13. On Thursday night, the Estonian Border Guard discovered that Russian border guards had begun dismantling these buoys, removing 24 buoys overnight, some of which were part of the disputed buoys.
"The Police and Border Guard Directorate has contacted the Russian Border Guard Service and demanded clarification on the removal of the buoys and their return. The agency is waiting for evidence from Russia that the previously agreed fairway has changed, and if it is not provided, we will continue to install the buoys," Purgel said.
At the government's press conference, Prime Minister Kaja Kallas characterized the situation as a border incident and noted that all the details of the incident are being investigated.
"We will approach this matter in a sober, measured way, and if necessary, in contact with our allies. We see a broader pattern where Russia is trying to sow anxiety with its actions," Kallas said.
Foreign Minister Margus Tskakhkna emphasized that it is important to remain calm in this situation, noting Russia's provocative behavior. He noted that such actions are typical for Russia in recent years and that similar border incidents, including airspace violations, have occurred before.
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