Estonia says Russia was behind
Photo: Virginia Mayo /AP/TT

Estonia says Russia was behind arson attack on defense company in Tallinn

The arson attack on a defense equipment manufacturing company in Tallinn was Russian sabotage, the Estonian government says. European leaders, including Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, condemn the attack.

The Estonian Security Service, ISS, has investigated the fire that occurred on the night of August 14-15 at the premises of Milrem Robotics, a company that manufactures unmanned ground vehicles.

"We can safely conclude that the arson attack ... in Tallinn was a sabotage ordered by the special forces of the Russian Federation," writes Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna on X.

Estonia has summoned the Russian ambassador.

Three arrested

Two Latvian citizens were arrested two days after the fire, and a third the day after. A search of a house in Latvia found large quantities of material that may have been used to start the fire, according to the preliminary investigation. The suspects have been extradited to Estonia, reports public broadcaster ERR.

No one was injured in the fire.

"Russia continues its reckless campaign of hostile actions against NATO members. They are trying to weaken our resolve and stop our support for Ukraine," NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said, according to AFP.

Rutte adds:

They will fail. They are failing on the battlefield in Ukraine and they are failing to undermine our unity and our support for Ukraine.

“Extremely serious”

Several countries condemn the attack.

“Russia's fingerprints are all over the place,” writes Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kestutis Budrys on X, adding that “Moscow's hostile actions do not stop at Ukraine's borders.”

Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson calls the incident "extremely serious."

"Sweden fully supports Estonia and I am in close contact with Prime Minister Kristen Michal," he writes on X.

The Kremlin, through its spokesman Dmitry Peskov, denies the allegations, calling them "baseless."

In this story
AuthorTT News AgencyEnglish edition by Sweden Herald, adapted for our readers
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