Russian helicopter veers into Estonian territory

  • 2004-05-27
  • By The Baltic Times
TALLINN – A helicopter used by Russian law enforcement agencies during their hunt for the killers of an Estonian businessman violated Estonia's air space on May 25, the Estonian Border Guards announced on Wednesday. The helicopter made an unauthorized entry into Estonia's air space near the village of Saatse in the southeastern part of the country.

Russian police were reportedly searching for suspects in the murder of Gennady Ever, an Estonian businessman who was gunned down with a Kalashnikov in Pskov on May 25.
A representative of the Russian border guards informed his Estonian colleagues about the helicopter searching for the criminals and their vehicle near the border, according to the Estonian Border Guards.
Estonia stepped up control on the southeastern border following a tip from Russian law enforcement officials that there were three persons linked to the killing in the area. Russian investigators combed the town of Pechory right next to the Estonian border.
After the air space violation was registered, the Estonian Border Guards sent an inquiry to their Russian counterparts, and the Estonian Foreign Ministry sent a note to the Russian Embassy in Tallinn.
It was the fourth time a Russian aircraft violated Estonia's air space since October 2003.
Ever, a businessman who once was under close attention of the Estonian police in connection with his alleged ties with the criminal underworld, was killed near his rented apartment in Pskov on May 24. Ever reportedly planned to re-locate his business activity to Russia.