Pro-Kremlin movement leader stopped at border upon return from Russia

  • 2023-03-06
  • BNS/TBT Staff

TALLINN – According to Andrei Pozdnjakov, activist of the pro-Kremlin "Koos/Vmeste" movement, movement leader Aivo Peterson, who returned from Russia on Monday, was detained at the Narva-Ivangorod border, the Russian-language online news portal of Postimees, rus.postimees.ee, reports.

Pozdnjakov claimed that Peterson was detained because he also visited occupied Donetsk in Ukraine during his trip to Russia. According to him, the activists of the "Koos" movement were supposed to meet with Peterson on Monday to make a live broadcast together on social media. According to him, Peterson was detained on the Estonian side at the Narva border crossing for up to 48 hours.

However, Police and Border Guard Board spokesperson Leana Loide said that, as of Monday evening, Peterson has not been detained, but he is being subjected to additional border control procedures at the border crossing, including a more in-depth interview. As soon as the border guards have completed their procedural acts, Peterson is allowed to enter Estonia.

While Peterson is allowed into the country as an Estonian citizen, it is not known what may await him more precisely. At the end of February, Peterson drew attention when he visited the Russian-occupied territories in Ukraine on his trip to Russia. Interior Minister Lauri Laanemets said then that Peterson poses a security threat to Estonia and had to have cooperated with Russian special services to get to the front line.

Aivo Peterson, who ran in the ranks of the United Left Party in East-Viru County, collected 3,969 votes in the Riigikogu elections held on Sunday.