Estonia is preparing for potential security risks should a general mobilization be declared in Russia; Prime Minister Kristen Michal stated that the country could immediately close the border if a security assessment required it, reports ERR News.
Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna announced on the 17th of September that the country is developing various scenarios for the eventuality of a general mobilization in Russia. He noted that the Security Council regularly discusses Russia’s actions and Estonia’s possible responses, adding that a general mobilization could significantly increase internal tensions within Russia.
At a press conference, Michal emphasized the importance of regularly updating information regarding the security situation, noting that there is nothing secretive or unusual about this process. The Prime Minister stated that no part of the Russian economy is healthy and that between 30,000 and 40,000 men are killed or wounded daily. At some point, Russia will take further steps to continue the war, and NATO and European Union countries must be prepared for Russian actions and capable of communicating about them appropriately. If general mobilization is announced in Russia, Estonia will immediately close its border. Michal stated that appropriate measures—including closing the border—would be taken based on a risk assessment. The Police and Border Guard are aware of the procedure, and border crossing points would be closed very quickly if necessary. Since mobilization could alter the risk assessment, the government would take appropriate steps depending on whether mobilization occurs and what form it takes.
Tsahkna noted that everyone in Europe needs to closely monitor Russia’s growing internal tension.
It must be understood that if general mandatory mobilization is announced for any age group, tensions will rise. This is part of the government’s work: anticipating various decisions, assessing the threat landscape, and being prepared.
The Estonian Foreign Minister emphasized that the threat of mobilization is part of broader concerns and affects more than just Estonia. He expressed the view that Estonia is far better prepared for potential threats and tensions than the rest of Europe. A point of discussion was the fact that, last year, Schengen Area countries issued 650,000 visas to Russian citizens who subsequently traveled to Europe; this pressure could increase. Estonia reportedly does not face such problems, as Russian citizens are not admitted into the country; however, the situation must be acknowledged, and European partners educated about the threats to European security posed by rising internal tensions in Russia.
Estonia has taken a leading role in Europe regarding visa issues. For instance, a ban on issuing visas to Russian soldiers has been included in sanctions lists at both the European Commission and member-state levels. Tsahkna stated that the continued issuance of visas is completely incomprehensible—and difficult for the Estonian people to fathom—yet some countries continue to issue visas to Russians, and pressure in this regard is bound to increase. No one knows who are the people from Russia entering Europe.
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