Estonia will fully close its border with Russia at night, citing what officials called Moscow’s “irrational” behavior along the frontier.
To save resources and shift them to daytime patrols, the Luhamaa and Koidula road checkpoints will operate only 12 hours during the day starting February 24, public broadcaster ERR reported. The measure is initially set for three months. Another crossing, in Narva, has been closed overnight since May 2024.
“Because Russia sometimes behaves irrationally at the border, we need to free up resources for more effective border security,” Prime Minister Kristen Michal said. “We will shorten the operating hours of the crossing points and close them at night so we can monitor other sections of the border more closely. In addition, full customs control remains in effect toward Russia. Further decisions will be based on security needs and how the situation at the border develops.”
Interior Minister Igor Taro said the conduct of Russian border guards requires constant heightened attention from the Police and Border Guard Board. He added that reduced hours are logical given a steep drop in traffic: “Compared with 2018, the number of crossings has fallen by roughly five times. If 5.3 million people crossed the eastern border in 2018, in 2025 the figure was 1,084,320.”
In December, authorities documented three Russian border guards crossing into Estonia and spending about 20 minutes on its territory. Two months earlier, an unidentified drone flying near a barracks that houses US troops was shot down.
