Saturday, September 6, 2014

Estonia seeks Russia's explanation after alleged abduction of security official (media)

Estonian authorities responded intensively to its claimed abduction of an Estonian security officer by unknown personnel near Russian border earlier Friday.

Estonian Foreign Ministry has summoned the Russian ambassador to Estonia, Yuri Merzlyakov, to give an explanation on the incident, according to a report by the official Estonian Public Broadcasting (ERR).

"This is a very galling incident. We expect full assistance and cooperation from Russia in resolving the incident and bringing the Estonian citizen back to Estonia," the report quoted Estonian Foreign Minister Urmas Paet as saying.


Earlier the day, officials from Estonia's Internal Security Service (ISS), or Estonia's national agency for counterintelligence and high-profile corruption investigations, and the Office of the Prosecutor General announced at a press conference that an ISS official was abducted at Luhamaa border checkpoint near the Russian border Friday morning and was taken to Russia.

Meanwhile, both Estonian president and prime minister have issued their separate comments on the situation.

"Our number one task is to do all we can to get the police official released," said Prime Minister Taavi Roivas in a statement. "We await all facets of cooperation and legal assistance from Russia."

He said the kidnapping of a counterintelligence official was a serious crime that was "unacceptable to any Estonian."

This comment was echoed by Estonian President Toomas Hendrik Ilves's remarks on Facebook.

The Estonian authorities held that there is no indication that the abduction is more than an isolated criminal incident, but against the backdrop of international tensions, the situation is being treated seriously.

ISS told the press conference that the incident occurred at about 9:00 a.m. local time on the Estonian side of the border and was preceded by jamming of communications and use of a smoke grenade and the interference was said to originate from the Russia side.

ISS said the official was in the process of interdiction of a cross-border crime at the area in Voru County by Russian border. The border lacks major fortifications and the area is thinly populated.

The whereabouts of the official were not known so far, ISS said, adding that there was no immediate explanation on the disclosure of the incident -- more than six hours after it occurred -- which came during a period of more tense relations with Russia.

Estonian officials also claimed at the press conference that the bilateral border guard meeting was held and the Russians said they "knew nothing" of the abduction.

Sources: Xinhua - globaltimes.cn
6/9/14
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2 comments:

  1. Estnischer Geheimdienstmitarbeiter nach Russland entführt...

    Die estnischen Behörden sprechen von einer Entführung, die russischen von einer Festnahme zur Abwehr einer Spionageaktion.

    In Estland ist ein Beamter der Sicherheitspolizei nach Angaben der Behörde im Dienst von Unbekannten mit Waffengewalt entführt und nach Russland verschleppt worden. Der Mann sei nahe des Grenzübergangs Luhamaa im Kampf gegen grenzüberschreitende Kriminalität im Einsatz gewesen, teilte die Sicherheitspolizei in Tallinn am Freitag mit. Russische Behörden hingegen stellten den Vorfall als Abwehr einer Spionageaktion auf russischem Gebiet dar.

    Nach estnischen Angaben überwältigten unbekannte Täter den Beamten. Zuvor störten die aus Russland stammenden Entführer die Funkkommunikation und zündeten eine Rauchgranate, teilte Behördenleiter Arnold Sinisalu mit. Bei der Untersuchung des Tatorts seien dann nach Russland führende Fußspuren entdeckt worden, sagte er nach Angaben der Agentur BNS.

    Dagegen teilte der russische Geheimdienst FSB mit, der estnische Beamte sei in der grenznahen russischen Region Pskow während einer Undercover-Operation festgenommen worden. Dabei seien eine Pistole, 5.000 Euro in bar sowie Ausrüstung für versteckte Tonaufnahmen bei ihm sichergestellt worden, meldete die Agentur Itar-Tass unter Berufung auf die Behörde...............http://diepresse.com/home/politik/aussenpolitik/3865915/Estnischer-Geheimdienstmitarbeiter-nach-Russland-entfuhrt-?from=rss
    5/9/14

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  2. Генштаб Эстонии: российский военный самолет нарушил воздушное пространство страны ...

    Российский самолет-разведчик Ил-20 во вторник нарушил воздушное пространство Эстонии. С таким утверждением выступил 22 октября генштаб Сил обороны этой балтийской республики.

    Самолет находился в воздушном пространстве Эстонии в течение примерно одной минуты, углубившись в него примерно на 500 метров. Этот факт якобы был зафиксирован Эстонским центром управления воздушными операциями. "Самолет не имел плана полета, его транспондер был выключен, воздушное судно не вступало в радиоконтакт с Эстонской службой воздушного сообщения", - утверждает генштаб.

    В воздух были подняты португальские истребители F-16, обеспечивающие в настоящее время по ротации членов НАТО безопасность воздушного пространства стран Балтии с литовской авиабазы Зокняй. Сообщается, что над нейтральными водами они установили с Ил-20 визуальный контакт.
    http://itar-tass.com/mezhdunarodnaya-panorama/1525589
    22/10/14

    ReplyDelete

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