Estonia Blames Russia for Arson at Defense Robotics Firm Supplying Ukraine

Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis stated on Tuesday that the Czech Republic would honor its NATO commitments if Russia attacked a Baltic country.

He told a Czech news website that Prague was preparing for such a possibility, raised by some NATO members' secret services, and would send two mechanized brigades under Article 5. Estonia concluded on Tuesday that Russian intelligence services ordered an arson attack on the defense company Milrem Robotics. Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna cited information from the country's Internal Security Service (ISS).

The fire occurred on the night of August 14-15 on Betooni Street in Tallinn at a building used by Milrem Robotics. Emergency services quickly extinguished the fire, and no one was hurt. Milrem Robotics manufactures uncrewed military ground vehicles, including THeMIS tracked robots, which Ukraine uses. In 2022, Russia offered a two million ruble reward for capturing THeMIS robots.

Three Latvian citizens were detained in connection with the case. Two suspects were detained in Latvia on August 17, and a third on August 18. Latvia handed over all three suspects to Estonia between September 17-18. Security service chief Margo Palloson told broadcaster ERR that the August arson was Russia's first successful attack this year.

Estonia's Foreign Ministry summoned Russia's chargé d'affaires, Lenar Salimullin, on September 29. Prime Minister Kristen Michal posted on X that the attack was part of Russia's broader campaign across Europe to intimidate them and weaken their support for Ukraine. Tsahkna stated that Estonia's response would be stronger security at home, more support for Ukraine and greater pressure on Russia.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov called Estonia's accusations groundless, ill-considered, completely at odds with reality, and without any supporting arguments. He told reporters that Russia could not and would not take such statements seriously.