【By Chen Sijia, Observer Net】According to the Estonian Public Broadcasting Company (ERR), on October 10, the Estonian government closed a road passing through Russian territory in the southeast border. The Estonian Police and Border Guard Board (PPA) claimed that several Russian armed personnel were found on this road, and to ensure the safety of Estonian citizens, the department decided to close the road.

This road is located in the "Saatse Boot" area at the Russia-Estonia border, crossing Russian territory connecting the Estonian border towns of Värska and Saatse, with a total length of about 1 kilometer. Estonians can drive along the road without permission, but they cannot stop or walk on the road.

The "Saatse Boot" at the Russia-Estonia border

On October 10, PPA announced that Estonian border guards observed "abnormal activities" on the Russian side, with more than 10 armed personnel moving on the road. To ensure the safety of Estonian citizens and prevent risks, the department decided to temporarily close the road between Värska and Saatse.

Meelis Saarepuu, head of the southern border division of PPA, said: "Our patrol personnel found that the activities of the Russians in the Saatse area have been more frequent than usual. We saw various armed groups moving along the border, and from their uniforms, they are not border guards."

Saarepuu said that the border forces have asked the Russian side for an explanation, and the latter responded that it was "routine activity". "For us, this is a threat, and we had to close the road passing through the 'Saatse Boot' area."

The road closure is expected to last at least until October 14. The Estonian police called on the public to comply with the temporary traffic signs.

Video screenshot of Russian armed personnel released by the Estonian border department

Estonian Interior Minister Igor Taro said on the 11th that according to the latest information, the Russian armed personnel had left the "Saatse Boot" area. Taro said it was normal for Russian border guards carrying weapons to appear in the area, but it was "unprecedented" for Russian armed personnel to stand directly in the middle of the road.

However, Taro emphasized that the situation on the Estonia-Russia border remained calm, "there is no threat of war, just like other areas. The Estonian Defense Forces have repeatedly confirmed this. The incident in the 'Saatse Boot' has not changed this situation."

Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna also stated on the 12th that the "tension" on the Estonia-Russia border had been exaggerated, "it needs to be clear that there is no emergency situation on the border. The Russian actions have been more obvious than before, but the situation remains under control."

Tsahkna revealed that Estonia plans to completely stop using roads passing through Russian territory in the future, "a substitute route bypassing Russian territory is already available, and a new road is being built. The current arrangement is a special situation caused by historical issues."

"Saatse Boot" is an area of about 1.15 square kilometers where Russia and Estonia meet, named after its boot-like shape. ERR said that to eliminate the "Saatse Boot", Estonia and Russia signed a new border agreement in 2014, but the agreement has not been approved by the parliaments of both countries and has not come into effect yet.

In recent times, NATO countries such as Estonia and Poland have repeatedly accused Russian aircraft of "violating airspace". On the evening of September 19, the Estonian Foreign Ministry issued a statement saying that three Russian MiG-31 fighter jets "entered Estonian airspace without authorization" and stayed for as long as 12 minutes before leaving. Tsahkna called this a "serious and unacceptable provocation".

In response, the Russian Ministry of Defense issued a statement on September 20, stating that three Russian MiG-31 fighter jets flew on September 19 as planned from Karelia to an airport in Kaliningrad Oblast, strictly following the "International Rules for Airspace Use", and did not violate the airspace of any country, which was confirmed by objective monitoring equipment.

Russian President's Press Secretary Peskov said on September 23: "We take a very responsible position. You also know our military's statement, in executing all flight missions, our aircraft follow international rules and never cross the border. Any accusation against Russian military aircraft 'violating the border' so far has not been supported by reliable data or convincing evidence."

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Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7560728424689320482/

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