Estonia expels senior Russian diplomat for alleged subversion, sanctions violations
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Tallinn has declared a senior Russian diplomat persona non grata for allegedly attempting to undermine Estonia's constitutional order and legal system, the Estonian Foreign Ministry said on Aug. 13.
Estonia, a NATO and EU member bordering Russia, has increasingly accused Moscow of subversive activities and hybrid operations in the Baltic region.
In an official note delivered to Russia's charge d'affaires, Estonia ordered Dmitry Prilepin, the first secretary of the Russian Embassy in Tallinn, to leave the country.
The ministry said Prilepin had engaged in efforts to erode Estonia's legal order, sow divisions in society, and aid crimes against the state, including several violations of sanctions.
"The Russian embassy's ongoing interference in the internal affairs of the Republic of Estonia must end," Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said in a statement.
The minister added that "by expelling the diplomat, we are demonstrating that Estonia will not allow any actions orchestrated and organized by a foreign state on its territory."
Estonia, a member of both the European Union and NATO, has supported Ukraine since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion and participates in all EU sanctions packages against Moscow.
"Estonia will also inform its partners and allies of this incident," Tsahkna said in his post on X.
Russia's embassy in Tallinn did not immediately comment on the move.
Since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Estonia has scaled back diplomatic ties with Moscow, closing its consulate in St. Petersburg and offices in Pskov, while Russia shut its consulate in Narva and consular office in Tartu.
Neither country currently has an ambassador in the other's capital.
Since 2022, European countries have expelled dozens of Russian embassy officials, accusing them of subversive activities or working as spies under diplomatic cover.
