Russian removal of Narva River buoys sparks diplomatic friction

Russian border guards removed buoys marking shipping lines on the Narva River. A statement from the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs regarding the "provocative incident" appeared online.

The Delfi portal reported that on Thursday at dawn, Estonian border guards discovered that Russian officials had removed 24 buoys from the Narva River.

"This action by Russia, carried out in the shadow of the night, fits well within the broader pattern of Russia’s provocative behaviour, including on its borders with neighbours, most recently vis-à-vis Lithuania and Finland." reads the Estonian MFA statement published on X on Thursday evening.

The communiqué emphasized that "Estonia’s response remains calm and clear-eyed. We treat this as a provocative border incident. We will communicate to the Russian Federation through our border representatives and diplomatic channels that such actions are unacceptable, demand an explanation about the removal of the buoys and their immediate return," it reads.

The Estonian MFA also emphasized that the country "in close contact with Allies and partners as we continue to counter Russia’s malign activities across Europe."

Russia announced that in 2024 it will not agree to the placement of about half of the planned 250 buoys. Estonia was installing them in its waters based on the state border law and locations agreed with Moscow in 2022.

Eerika Purgela, head of the Eastern Prefecture Border Guard Office, said that the countries place buoys on the Narva River every spring to mark shipping routes.

Source: Delfi/X