Estonia Closes Road Through Russian Territory After Troop Sighting

Estonia has implemented a temporary closure of a roadway that briefly traverses Russian territory following the observation of armed Russian military personnel in the border area. The decision, announced Sunday by Estonian officials, represents a precautionary measure to prevent potential incidents along the sensitive frontier between the NATO member state and Russia.

Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna confirmed that seven armed Russian soldiers were spotted Friday on the Russian section of the road located in southeastern Estonia. "To avoid any potential incidents, we temporarily halted traffic there," Tsahkna stated via social media platform X. The affected route, known locally as the "Saatse Boot" due to its distinctive shape, normally permits local transit without requiring border stops despite crossing a small section of Russian territory.

The foreign minister described the road's peculiar routing as a "historical anomaly" from the Soviet era and revealed plans to permanently discontinue its use. Tsahkna noted that an alternative route bypassing Russian territory already exists, with an additional replacement road currently under construction. This incident highlights the complex geographical legacy facing the Baltic nation, which shares a 294-kilometer border with its much larger neighbor.

Despite the increased Russian military presence observed near the roadway, Estonian authorities characterized the overall border situation as remaining calm. "To be clear: nothing acute is happening on the border. The Russians are acting somewhat more assertively and visibly than before, but the situation remains under control," Tsahkna emphasized. The road closure is expected to remain in effect at least until Tuesday while authorities monitor the situation. This incident follows last month's allegation by Estonia that Russia violated its airspace, requiring NATO fighter jets to intercept the intruding aircraft.