10 Suspected Russian Spies Detained in Estonia Operated on Putin's Orders, Officials Allege

Ten alleged saboteurs believed to be operating under orders from Russia have been detained in Estonia, according to the domestic security agency of the country.

Knewz.com has learned that the 10 suspects, thought to be involved in a “hybrid operation” by Russia’s special services, were apprehended between December and February.

The Security Service of Estonia apprehended 10 alleged saboteurs believed to be working under instructions from Russia. By: MEGA

The Internal Security Service of Estonia claimed that the alleged saboteurs include individuals suspected of breaking the car windows of Interior Minister Lauri Läänemets and a local journalist in December 2023.

Officials from the Security Service have said that the alleged saboteurs assumed a variety of roles in the covert operation in Estonia, from collecting intelligence to planning and executing attacks, based on the instructions they were provided by their handlers in Russia.

State Prosecutor Triinu Olev stated, according to The Associated Press, that the 10 individuals who have been apprehended and detained currently await further action to be taken against them based on the results of an investigation into criminal proceedings.

Margo Palloson, the head of the security service of Estonia, said that some of the apprehended suspects were recruited by Russia through social media. These are the same individuals who allegedly vandalized undisclosed memorials in Estonia, according to The Associated Press.

The alleged saboteurs assumed a variety of roles in the covert operation in Estonia, from collecting intelligence to planning and executing attacks, based on the instructions they were provided by their handlers in Russia. By: MEGA

“The information currently collected in criminal proceedings indicate that the Russian special service had coordinated a hybrid operation against the security of the Republic of Estonia, involving the suspects that have been detained,” the Security Service of Estonia said in a statement, according to the news agency.

“To the knowledge of the Estonian Internal Security Service, its aim was to spread fear and create tension in Estonian society… As procedural acts are currently being carried out to verify the suspicion and ascertain important facts, it is not possible to discuss these incidents in further detail,” the Security Service added.

Estonia claimed its independence from Russia in 1991 after it successfully challenged the illegal Soviet occupation and annexation and changed its name from the Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic to the Republic of Estonia, although it still has a significant amount of ethnic Russian population.

Given that the nation is currently a member of NATO and the European Union, the Kremlin is understandably interested in the internal affairs of Estonia, especially in matters of security and military.

The Security Service of Ukraine detained five former and serving Ukrainian intelligence officers in February who were allegedly spying for Russia. By: Telegram/Security Service of Ukraine

However, although Moscow’s efforts to obtain foreign intelligence are relentless, reports of Russia-appointed spy and saboteur networks on foreign soil are certainly not a rare occurrence in recent times.

Reportedly, Vladimir Putin’s global spy network is now an “embarrassing” laughing stock, as their effectiveness come to be quite limited and they can hardly hold their own in the face of intensified anti-espionage efforts, especially in Europe.

The declaration of the Russian invasion and the 2018 assassination attempt to poison former Russian military officer Sergei Skripal, who was also a double agent for British intelligence agencies, have been the main reasons why Russian spies are now unable to function as freely as they previously could.

Sources familiar with the current Russian espionage network told The Daily Express that the Kremlin’s spies cannot stay operational for very long nowadays and their network can be disrupted with incredible ease.

Reportedly, Vladimir Putin’s global spy network is now an

The source who spoke to the news outlet further stated, “Almost every intelligence operation they have now is incredibly stupid and they are now almost an embarrassment. When they have tried to prop someone up, they don’t stay operational [for long]. You can disrupt them a mile away.”

It is worth noting that concerns regarding Estonia being a part of the frontlines of the Ukraine war are on the rise, with The U.S. Sun reporting that the defense ministers of Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia have begun preparations for bunkers in the case of an attack.

Newsweek reported that the three countries plan to build 600 bunkers to protect some 210 miles of border with Russia.

“The war in Ukraine has shown that taking back already conquered territories is extremely difficult and comes at great cost of human lives, time, and material resources,” Susan Lilleväli, the undersecretary for defense readiness at the Estonian Defense Ministry, said.