Individuals apprehended in Estonia are suspected to have acted against the country’s security, while those held in Latvia are suspected to have aided Russian special services to act against Latvia.
According to the VSD, some of the detained are citizens of Russia, whereas others are dual citizens of Estonia and Russia.
Arrests have lasted since December 2023. Currently, details are not provided about the detained individuals and the allegations against them.
Estonian, Latvian and Lithuanian authorities are cooperating in ongoing investigations.
Furthermore, the VSD stated that recently Russia not only organised propaganda and disinformation campaigns, but also engaged in targeted violations of various laws.
In the assessment of Lithuania’s intelligence agency, in the short-term there is an increased probability of similar attacks against various facilities in the country.
Estonia’s public broadcaster ERR reports that the Internal Security Service (ISS) identified the culprits who last year vandalised cars belonging to the interior minister and a journalist. Ten suspects were detained as part of the criminal investigation, while the ISS believes that they had acted on behalf of Russian special services.
Latvian media reported that the country’s State Security Service (VDD) earlier in February detained a person suspected of desecrating memorial sites in the Baltic countries on behalf of Russian special services. The suspect is a dual citizen of Estonia and Russia.
