Russian provocation: Estonia demands explanations over removed buoys
Russian border guards have removed buoys marking shipping lanes on the Narva River. Estonia demands explanations from Moscow. "NATO stands in solidarity with the ally against any threat to their sovereignty," commented NATO Secretary General. "The Russians are playing with us," assessed General Waldemar Skrzypczak.
On Thursday, Estonian border guards discovered that Russian officials had removed 24 buoys from the Narva River at dawn.
"The Russian action, carried out under cover of night, fits well into a broader pattern of provocative behaviour by Russia, including on borders with neighbours, recently towards Lithuania and Finland," stated the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a communication published the same evening.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg commented on the incident on Friday. "NATO stands in solidarity with our ally Estonia against any threat to their sovereignty," he wrote on the X platform.
The High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, considered the incident part of a broader pattern of provocative actions by Russia. "The EU expects explanations from Russia regarding the removal of the buoys and their immediate return," he conveyed.
"Putin is laughing"
General Waldemar Skrzypczak, former commander of the land forces, spoke about the situation.
"The comments are strikingly saying something extraordinary has happened. Why are we focusing on buoys that float with the river's current? The Russians are playing with us and easily drawing us into fear over trivial things," assessed General Skrzypczak.
He added that "the Russians are laughing at this." "On the other side, they are rolling with laughter, and Europe is pondering: 'What will happen because someone removed buoys during the night?'" he explained.
"Let's stop winding ourselves up"
"We have fallen into a trap. This mocks us and our narrative in that we react in such a way. We are allowing ourselves to be drawn into their game. Estonia can just as easily place its new buoys again," the general stated firmly.
"Let's stop winding ourselves up. It's just like the issue of borders on the Baltic. This is another of Putin's manoeuvres. It cannot be changed overnight. No one will give up territorial waters in their area. There will be no war over this, either. The Russians are laughing at this too," General Skrzypczak concluded.
