Nauseda says no increase in threat level as Estonia closes border over Russian troops

VILNIUS - Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda says that the threat level has not increased after Estonia temporarily closed a road to its citizens, which they usually use to cross a section of Russian territory, when a group of Russian soldiers was spotted there.

"I have the data from our services, the assessment of our services, and I would really like to reassure people here that the overall risk level has not increased," the president told reporters in Naujoji Akmene on Tuesday.

According to the president, exercises taking place in Belarus close to near Lithuania's borders do not differ in scope or nature from previous exercises.

"We can view the situation as quite tense, but in general, geopolitically, it is completely different from what it was a few years ago. However, in terms of dynamics, it has certainly not deteriorated significantly, and for this reason, our services assess the threat level as the same, normal as it was before," Nauseda said.

As BNS reported earlier, Estonia temporarily closed the route its citizens usually use to cross Russian territory after the interior minister reported that a group of Russian soldiers was standing there.

The Estonian Police and Border Guard Board said on Friday that the road was closed that day "after border guards noticed a larger than usual unit moving in the territory of the Russian Federation."

The service said that the closure of the so-called Saatse Boot was necessary to ensure the safety of Estonian citizens and prevent possible incidents.

This boot-shaped piece of Russian territory juts into Estonia. Estonians and other citizens can drive through this territory without permission, but they are not allowed to stop.

Estonian media reported that the Russian unit consisted of about ten men. Although Russian border patrols are a common sight in the area, it is unusual for them to stand in the middle of a road that is also used by Estonians, according to media reports.

Interior Minister Igor Taro said on Saturday that the Russian soldiers had already left the territory, adding that the situation was calm, but the road would remain closed until at least Tuesday.

Estonia remains on alert for possible Russian incursions into its border after three Russian fighter jets flew into its airspace last month and remained there for 12 minutes.

A week earlier, Russian drones violated Polish airspace. Other NATO countries on the eastern flank of the bloc have reported similar drone incursions into their territory.