Estonia’s foreign ministry said on Monday it summoned Russia’s charge d’affaires over a Russian vessel’s breach of Estonian territorial waters.
Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said on X the Baltic state “summoned Russia’s charge d’affaires to issue a formal protest regarding this serious and unacceptable violation of our maritime border.”
The Estonian army said in a statement that an unauthorised Russian border guard vessel briefly entered the country’s territorial waters by up to half a kilometer on Saturday.
Foreign warships can sail through Estonian waters only if conducting a peaceful passage and if they notify the foreign ministry 48 hours in advance.
“The Russian vessel did not do so,” the army said, adding that this was the first time this year that a Russian ship violated Estonia’s maritime border.
In May, a Russian fighter jet violated Estonian airspace, according to the foreign ministry.
Tensions have escalated between the two countries since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022.
Estonia, a member of the European Union and NATO, has been a staunch ally of Kyiv since the war began.
Russia has not had an ambassador in Tallinn since February 2023, when Estonia ordered the Russian envoy to leave in a tit-for-tat move.