Russia's influence in Estonia increases

Many have long said that Russia has no need to militarily control Estonia: Russia can simply buy the country.

The Estonian Security Police (KaPo) has issued its annual report, a part of which concerns Russia’s foreign intelligence service officers operating in Estonia under diplomatic cover. The report also addresses the activity of Russia’s Federal Security Service which supports the energetic expansion of Russian capital in neighboring states. KaPo noted that considering the relatively small size of the Estonian economy, more attention must be paid to business consolidations, especially concerning capital outside the EU. “Current foreign business partners, who achieve an excessively high share in some sector important to the state, may in a year’s time start influencing the state’s domestic and foreign policies,” the report said. KaPo referred to the alliance of Gennadi Timtschenko and the Severstaltrans which is trying to increase its share in Estonia’s transit chain.