Estonia’s Harju County Court found two Estonian citizens guilty of setting fire to the Tallinn to Sweden ferry Silja Europa in January 2025, along with other charges. The individuals were identified as operatives of Russia’s military intelligence service, the GRU. The attack caused significant disruption and was investigated as an act of sabotage explicitly coordinated by the GRU. One suspect was apprehended in Tallinn in January 2025 and the other in Sweden. Authorities charged them with arson and sabotage, highlighting a coordinated effort to undermine Estonia’s security and transportation infrastructure. This represents a clear case of Russian unconventional paramilitary activity occurring on Estonian soil.
Category: Military & Paramilitary Operations
Subcategory: Unconventional / Paramilitary
Incident Type: Proxy forces, militias, mercenaries (e.g. Wagner-type groups)
Country: Estonia
Source report: english.nv.ua/nation/tw…
