Russian coast guard boat flying Wagner flag spotted near Estonia
Editor's note: The story was updated with additional details.
A Russian coast guard cutter was spotted on the Narva River flying the banner of the Russian Wagner mercenary company, Estonian authorities reported on Nov. 2.
Estonia suggested that the display of a symbol of the mercenary group that rebelled against the Kremlin two years ago "confirms the fact that Russia's 'iron' system is fracturing" as a result of the war in Ukraine and Western pressure.
The Wagner company, led by late oligarch Yevgeny Prigozhin, fought in some of the hardest battles in Ukraine before launching a brief uprising against Moscow in June 2023.
Prigozhin died in a mysterious plane crash only two months after agreeing to end the rebellion against Russian President Vladimir Putin.
"We can only speculate whether the spirit of chef Prigozhin is still alive in Russia, the Wagner crew are once again trying to take Moscow or have they set their sights on St. Petersburg this time?" Estonia's Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
Is Wagner marching on Moscow again, or starting with St. Petersburg this time? Hard to tell.
— Estonian MFA 🇪🇪 | 🌻 #StandWithUkraine (@MFAestonia) November 2, 2025
From our side it looks like they’ve already annexed the Russian border guards.
Who knows… @mfa_russia? pic.twitter.com/fJmENccVzC
Russian authorities have sought to centralize control over the mercenary group — designated a terrorist organization by Estonia, Ukraine, and several other countries — since its short-lived rebellion and Prigozhin's death.
The Wagner "flag stands for barbarism, war crimes, and chaos," Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha commented on the incident.
"Its appearance on the EU and NATO borders sums it up perfectly: there is no civilization beyond that point," Ukraine's top diplomat said, urging stronger support for Kyiv.
The Narva River forms part of the border between Russia and Estonia, a NATO and EU member that has staunchly supported Ukraine since the outbreak of the full-scale war.
Tallinn has reported several provocations from Russia's side in recent weeks, as tensions between NATO and Moscow escalate.
Three Russian MiG-31 jets violated Estonian airspace on Sept. 19, local authorities said, only a few weeks after Poland downed several Russian drones over its territory.
Last month, allied forces reportedly shot down an unidentified drone near a military base in southern Estonia, and the appearance of armed men near the Russian side of the border forced temporary travel restrictions at Saatse Boot.
