Estonia says Russia behind Tallinn arson at Ukraine supplier

Estonian authorities have said an arson attack on a defence company in Tallinn that supplies military vehicles to Ukraine was an act of sabotage commissioned by Russian security services. The attack took place last month at a building used by Milrem Robotics, and Estonia has said the case fits a wider pattern of sabotage in Europe linked to Russia.

Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said "such actions are absolutely unacceptable" and added that Russia's charge d'affaires in Tallinn was being summoned to his ministry. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov rejected the allegation, saying such statements were "unfounded, ill-considered, absolutely not reflecting the reality, not containing any substantiation whatsoever" and adding, "We cannot take such statements seriously, and we won't."

A fire broke out overnight on August 15 at the Tallinn building used by Milrem Robotics, but it was quickly brought under control, according to the BNS news agency. On August 17, two Latvian suspects were detained in neighbouring Latvia, and a third was detained the next day. They were later handed over to Estonia. Milrem has supplied THeMIS unmanned ground vehicles to Ukraine.

Estonia's Internal Security Service said it had concluded that the arson attack "was a deliberate and pre-planned act commissioned by Russian security services". In its statement, it said "the modus operandi of the Milrem attack is consistent with other acts of sabotage carried out in Europe on behalf of Russia," and added that it "assesses that the attack is directly attributable to the Russian Federation."

Moscow has been widely accused by Western officials of running a campaign of sabotage and disruption aimed at undermining support for Ukraine and destabilising European countries. The Associated Press has tracked around 200 incidents of sabotage and other hostile activity across Europe blamed on Russia since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022. These include plots to set fire to warehouses, launching drones, attempts to kill enemies abroad, theft of defence technology and cyberattacks on critical European infrastructure. In a recent case seen as an escalation, Germany blamed Russia for an attempted attack at Leipzig/Halle Airport in early August using a drone carrying explosives.

Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal wrote on X that "we will not be intimidated". The case centres on the August 15 fire at Milrem Robotics, the arrest and transfer of three suspects, and Estonia's stand that the attack was planned by Russian security services, a charge Moscow has denied.