President: Estonia feels tragic closeness of terror’s cruelty

Estonian President Toomas Hendrik Ilves today offered his condolences to families of the Estonian nationals killed in last week's attack in Nice as the country feels the malevolence of terrorism hit close to home.

"The Foreign Ministry obtained confirmation from the French authorities late last night that there are two Estonian citizens among the people killed as a result of the terrorist attack in Nice. Unfortunately, Estonia is now among the many countries that have felt the tragic closeness of the cruel hate of terror. This is painful and sad," Ilves stated.

According to Ilves, for some the tragedy in Nice was stretched across several days.

"Our hopes faded late last night when we lost a loving grandmother and a talented young man. My heartfelt sympathies go out to the families, next of kin, and friends of the victims. I lower my head in mourning," the president said.

The Estonian Foreign Ministry received confirmation from French authorities late on Monday night that two Estonian nationals were among those who lost their lives in the terrorist attack in Nice.

The Foreign Ministry is in touch with the victims' next of kin and a diplomat from the Estonian embassy in Paris has been sent to Nice to provide advice and aid to them.

The families of the Estonian nationals killed in the attack have asked that their privacy be respected.

Media reports have identified the victims as a woman by the first name Tatjana, who was on a holiday in Nice with her husband, daughter, and grandchildren; and Rickard Kruusberg, a 21-year-old from Tallinn who attended an innovation academy programme in Nice.

Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel, a 31-year-old Tunisian national, drove a truck into crowds of people leaving the French national day fireworks display in Nice on the night of July 14, killing 84 and injuring many more.