December 06, 2023

Estonia's Security Threat


Estonia's Security Threat
Natasha Chebanoo, Pexels.

According to Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas, government officials are exploring strategies for deporting individuals who have opted to seek Russian citizenship. Kallas's statement came in response to Deputy Alexander Chaplygin's inquiry within the Riigikogu (Estonian parliament), as reported by Postimees.

Kallas emphasized that the Russian Federation's war on Ukraine constitutes a stark violation of international law, and that it has the added aim of destabilizing Estonia and its allied nations' security.

“The fact that a person who lives in Estonia decides to obtain Russian Federation citizenship," he said, "at a time when the Russian Federation attacks the Ukrainian state and people, indicates that, if necessary, within the framework of mobilization, [this person] is ready to join the Russian army and participate in attacks on Ukraine. This is already a threat to the security of the Republic of Estonia and a very clear signal that the Estonian state cannot ignore.”

In November, Estonian Interior Minister Lauri Läänemets revealed ongoing government efforts to explore deportation measures for individuals opting for Russian citizenship. Following this, Deputy Alexander Chaplygin sought clarification from the Prime Minister regarding the legal basis for such actions. Kallas responded, citing concerns about individuals posing security threats to Estonia.

Kallas continued, “I can assure you that the Minister of the Interior represents the official position of the government, which is based on the security and survival of Estonia... And the revocation of a long-term residence permit is preceded by an individual procedure, during which it is determined by law whether a foreigner poses a threat to public order and security of the Republic of Estonia."

Estonian officials highlighted that the forthcoming measures under consideration will not impact current residents holding Russian passports. With the country's prohibition on dual citizenship, the impending restrictions target individuals in Estonia formerly associated with the USSR who haven't obtained citizenship, as reported by Radio Liberty. As of January 2023, over 64,000 former USSR citizens without Estonian citizenship reside in Estonia, comprising 4.7% of the population.

You Might Also Like

Laughter Amid Tears
  • July 18, 2023

Laughter Amid Tears

The Pro-Ukrainian Twitter collective NAFO held its first-ever summit in Vilnius.
Tanks but No Tanks
  • August 21, 2022

Tanks but No Tanks

The Estonian city of Narva, on the Russian border, quietly dismantled a Soviet memorial featuring a T-34 tank.
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of our Books

Driving Down Russia's Spine
June 01, 2016

Driving Down Russia's Spine

The story of the epic Spine of Russia trip, intertwining fascinating subject profiles with digressions into historical and cultural themes relevant to understanding modern Russia. 

Bears in the Caviar
May 01, 2015

Bears in the Caviar

Bears in the Caviar is a hilarious and insightful memoir by a diplomat who was “present at the creation” of US-Soviet relations. Charles Thayer headed off to Russia in 1933, calculating that if he could just learn Russian and be on the spot when the US and USSR established relations, he could make himself indispensable and start a career in the foreign service. Remarkably, he pulled it of.

The Moscow Eccentric
December 01, 2016

The Moscow Eccentric

Advance reviewers are calling this new translation "a coup" and "a remarkable achievement." This rediscovered gem of a novel by one of Russia's finest writers explores some of the thorniest issues of the early twentieth century.

Stargorod: A Novel in Many Voices
May 01, 2013

Stargorod: A Novel in Many Voices

Stargorod is a mid-sized provincial city that exists only in Russian metaphorical space. It has its roots in Gogol, and Ilf and Petrov, and is a place far from Moscow, but close to Russian hearts. It is a place of mystery and normality, of provincial innocence and Black Earth wisdom. Strange, inexplicable things happen in Stargorod. So do good things. And bad things. A lot like life everywhere, one might say. Only with a heavy dose of vodka, longing and mystery.

A Taste of Chekhov
December 24, 2022

A Taste of Chekhov

This compact volume is an introduction to the works of Chekhov the master storyteller, via nine stories spanning the last twenty years of his life.

The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas
October 01, 2013

The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas

This exciting new trilogy by a Russian author – who has been compared to Orhan Pamuk and Umberto Eco – vividly recreates a lost world, yet its passions and characters are entirely relevant to the present day. Full of mystery, memorable characters, and non-stop adventure, The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas is a must read for lovers of historical fiction and international thrillers.

 
Fish
February 01, 2010

Fish

This mesmerizing novel from one of Russia’s most important modern authors traces the life journey of a selfless Russian everywoman. In the wake of the Soviet breakup, inexorable forces drag Vera across the breadth of the Russian empire. Facing a relentless onslaught of human and social trials, she swims against the current of life, countering adversity and pain with compassion and hope, in many ways personifying Mother Russia’s torment and resilience amid the Soviet disintegration.

Marooned in Moscow
May 01, 2011

Marooned in Moscow

This gripping autobiography plays out against the backdrop of Russia's bloody Civil War, and was one of the first Western eyewitness accounts of life in post-revolutionary Russia. Marooned in Moscow provides a fascinating account of one woman's entry into war-torn Russia in early 1920, first-person impressions of many in the top Soviet leadership, and accounts of the author's increasingly dangerous work as a journalist and spy, to say nothing of her work on behalf of prisoners, her two arrests, and her eventual ten-month-long imprisonment, including in the infamous Lubyanka prison. It is a veritable encyclopedia of life in Russia in the early 1920s.

The Little Humpbacked Horse
November 03, 2014

The Little Humpbacked Horse

A beloved Russian classic about a resourceful Russian peasant, Vanya, and his miracle-working horse, who together undergo various trials, exploits and adventures at the whim of a laughable tsar, told in rich, narrative poetry.

Russian Rules
November 16, 2011

Russian Rules

From the shores of the White Sea to Moscow and the Northern Caucasus, Russian Rules is a high-speed thriller based on actual events, terrifying possibilities, and some really stupid decisions.

About Us

Russian Life is a publication of a 30-year-young, award-winning publishing house that creates a bimonthly magazine, books, maps, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955