Kallas: Russian Hybrid Operation In Estonia "Successfully Stopped"

Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas has issued a statement on X: "Estonia has successfully stopped a hybrid operation by Russia's security services on our territory. We know the Kremlin is targeting all of our democratic societies. Our answer: be open and reveal their methods. This is the way to deter harmful actions and make us resilient."

• Kallas linked to a report which alleges small scale criminal acts committed by Russian operatives who, "have been trying to create tension in Estonia in many ways for years."
• Estonia and other Baltic states have regularly accused Russia of drone and cyber incurrsions on their territory. Estonian defence minister Hanno Pevkur said in November: “We all understand that, most probably, Russia will not go to the direct conflict — kinetic military conflict — with NATO. But for sure they are in the conflict, because already since 2007, we see constant cyberattacks, and not very small cyberattacks.”
• Defense Scoop notes: "NATO’s Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence is a multinational and interdisciplinary cybersecurity hub based in Tallinn, Estonia."
• Kallas, one of the EU's most vocal Russia hawks, was recently put on a Russian wanted list for “destroying monuments to Soviet soldiers” in Estonia.
• At last weekend's Munich Security Conference, Kallas urged NATO to seize Russian sovereign assets held in European capitals before the US presidential election in November. The Biden administration is generally supportive of the proposal but Kallas noted the US position could change if former President Donald Trump were to win a second term.