There is a place in eastern Estonia where a road important to locals crosses Russian territory for about a kilometer, and despite other restrictions, Estonians have so far been allowed to cross this section without restrictions; this changed after increased activity of Russian soldiers was detected near the border on the 10th of October, writes ERR News.
The head of the Estonian Border Guard Service (PPA) Southern Prefecture Border Guard Meelis Saarepu said on the 11th of October that increased Russian military activity was detected in the so-called Saatse Boot (a 15-hectare Russian territory that extends into Estonia) on the 10th of October. “We saw various armed groups moving along the border and in its immediate vicinity. Based on their uniforms, they were definitely not border guards,” Saarepu said.
He added that a request for an explanation was sent to the Russian side, and it responded that routine activities were being carried out on the border. However, the Estonian Border Guard viewed the activity as a security threat and urged drivers to use a detour. Some did so, but others continued on their way.
On the evening of the 11th of October, Estonian Interior Minister Igor Taro told the newspaper Postimees that in general, the presence of armed individuals in the Saatse boot is not unusual, because it is a border area, and at that time the soldiers had already left the area. The minister added, however, that the behavior of the soldiers was unusual, and border guards have not stood in the middle of the road so far.
Taro stressed that
the priority now is to complete the bypass in order to avoid potentially dangerous situations
that could lead, for example, to an Estonian ending up in a Pskov prison.
Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna also said that the situation is under control and that reports of an extremely tense situation are exaggerated. The minister said on the evening of the 12th of October that traffic through the Saatse Boot had been suspended to avoid possible incidents. “In the longer term, we plan to stop using this road altogether. An alternative route that bypasses Russian territory is already available, and a new one is under construction. The current arrangement is a historical anomaly,” Tsahkna said. He added that nothing extraordinary is happening at the border – the Russians are behaving more visibly than before, but the situation is under control.
Meanwhile, local residents hope that the weekend’s events will speed up the construction of the new bypass. They are used to the everyday restrictions, which mean that you can’t get out of your car on Russian territory, and stopping is not allowed for another kilometer on either side of Saatse Boot.
Estonians are also used to Russian border guards along the road.
The latest events have caused outrage that officials have delayed the construction of the new road for so long. Since the road crosses Russian territory, its border guards have the right to stop cars if they deem it necessary. Consequently, government representatives have long considered the road unsafe. Some locals also choose to bypass it on a daily basis. The new road is also needed so that emergency services can reach the scene of an emergency faster.
In February, it was reported that the road could be completed in 2028, but in May, it was reported that the process was delayed due to the need for an environmental impact assessment, as the new road will cross a nature reserve. It is predicted that this will extend the project by a year.
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