European countries must change the way they define Russian attacks and sabotage on their territory, Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna told Politico, News.bg reports.
In his words, instead of the general definition "hybrid attacks", more specific definitions such as "terrorist acts" and "sabotage" should be used. Tsahkna described the actions as part of a systematic Russian campaign against Europe, which he said was taking on the characteristics of a “kind of war“.
His statement comes days after Estonia announced that Russian special services were behind the August 15 arson attack on a building in Tallinn used by Milrem Robotics, a company that produces unmanned ground vehicles and supplies equipment to Ukraine. The Estonian Internal Security Service concluded that the fire was deliberate and organized on behalf of Russian services. The Kremlin rejected the accusations as unfounded.
Three Latvian citizens suspected of committing the arson were detained in Latvia and subsequently handed over to Estonian authorities. Electronic media and objects believed to have been used in the arson were seized during the searches. The investigation into the specific circumstances is ongoing.
Tsahkna cited the Milrem Robotics case as part of a wider series of incidents in Europe that Western governments have linked to Russian sabotage operations. Among them is the incident at the Leipzig-Halle airport in Germany, which German authorities also said had a Russian trace.
According to the Estonian minister, financial motivation is often a stronger incentive than ideology for people who are attracted to such operations. He called on European countries to exchange more intelligence and evidence, coordinate the actions of their services and make it clear that participation in sabotage operations will lead to serious penalties.
Tsahkna warned that in his opinion the Kremlin's goal is to create division and fear in European societies. He admitted that the risk of more serious attacks could increase if Moscow believes that Europe is not responding with one voice.
Against this backdrop, the EU is preparing a new security strategy, expected later this year. The Estonian minister said it should strengthen intelligence sharing, increase investment in security services and ensure a faster response to unconventional threats.
Tsahkna assessed that Russia is currently not in a position to launch a full-scale military attack on NATO, but warned that the situation could change. Therefore, he said, European countries should use the current period to improve their preparations and coordination between services.
He also called for clearer communication with citizens in emergency situations, so that society knows how to react without panicking.