Estonia on Wednesday (June 22nd) accused Russia of carrying out actions causing an escalation of tensions in the run-up to a NATO summit next week, including simulated missile launches and violations of its airspace.
She also discussed Russia's threats this week against another Baltic country, Lithuania, because it implemented restrictions on rail traffic to the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad.
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“
At the moment, there is no immediate military threat against Estonia.
Nevertheless, we see that the Russian Federation is toughening up its rhetoric and stepping up its activities ahead of the Madrid summit
,” Estonian Defense Ministry spokesman Thomas Mell told AFP.
“
Russia, which is attacking Lithuania because of the implementation of European Union sanctions announced months ago, which simulates missile attacks against targets located in the Baltic countries, and helicopters of the Russian Federation that violate the borders of the Baltic countries, all this converges in time and space
,” he added.
"
This escalating behavior is further confirmation that the upcoming NATO summit in Madrid is indeed timely
.”
He did not provide details on the simulated shootings and airspace violations mentioned.
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The Estonian Foreign Ministry nevertheless said it had summoned the Russian ambassador on Tuesday to protest against the "
totally unacceptable
" violation of Estonian airspace by Russia on June 18.
“
The breach took place in southeastern Estonia, near the Koidula checkpoint, where a Russian helicopter entered Estonian airspace without permission
,” according to a ministry statement.
Relations between Moscow and the three Baltic countries - Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania - have been deteriorating for years, as tensions rise between Russia and the West.
