As of: February 25, 2024, 8:06 p.m
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Soldiers in Estonia (archive image): The Baltics are suffering from hybrid attacks from Russia.
© Jaap Arriens/AFP
Experts fear a Russian attack on the Baltics.
Moscow is already attacking NATO countries - although not with weapons.
A series of incidents of vandalism in the Baltic states most likely turn out to be part of a campaign of hybrid operations organized by Russian intelligence, the Estonian Domestic Security Service has said.
In this context, eleven people were arrested in Estonia and Latvia.
The case is a rare example of the uncovering of suspected Russian hybrid operations.
The smashed car windows of a minister and a journalist as well as the repeated defacement of historical monuments in all three Baltic states last year initially appeared to have happened independently of each other.
But this week a joint operation dismantled a network of suspected Russian agents in the Baltics.
The investigation has not yet been completed.
Those arrested are Russian and Russian-Estonian nationals.
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Psychological pressure on the Republic of Moldova
“It is a common trend today for both Russian and Chinese special forces to reach out to contacts via social media.
The amount of money was not large and the risk was certainly not worth it,” said Estonian intelligence chief Margo Palloson, warning of a “new method of influence.”
The events are reminiscent of a case in late 2023, when schools in the Baltics received hundreds of bomb threats.
Classes had to be interrupted for a few days.
In 2007, Russia carried out a massive cyber attack on Estonia, resulting in unrest.
Recently, in a separate context, it was revealed that a Latvian pro-Russian member of the European Parliament was collaborating with Russian intelligence services.
Meanwhile, Moscow is also increasing pressure on western-oriented Moldova.
In the breakaway region of Transnistria, political leaders want to hold a congress on February 28th and, according to an opposition politician, call on Russia to admit Transnistria into the Russian Federation.
There have already been similar announcements.
This time the gathering is scheduled to be held just a day before the Russian president's state of the nation address.
Contrary to usual practice, the OSCE mission in the border region between the Republic of Moldova and the breakaway Transnistria was only extended by six months instead of twelve in mid-December.
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