Estonia Expels Russian Diplomat Over Alleged Interference in Internal Affairs
“The Russian embassy’s ongoing interference in the internal affairs of the Republic of Estonia must end,” he said. “By expelling the diplomat, we are demonstrating that Estonia will not allow any actions orchestrated and organized by a foreign state on its territory.”
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — Estonia announced on Wednesday the expulsion of a senior Russian diplomat, accusing him of actively working to undermine the country’s constitutional order and stability.
The Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it had summoned the Russian embassy’s chargé d’affaires to deliver a diplomatic note declaring the embassy’s First Secretary persona non grata. The diplomat has been ordered to leave Estonia.
In its statement, the ministry said the move was a clear signal that Estonia “does not intend to tolerate Russia’s activities against our constitutional order and internal stability” and would inform its partners and allies of the incident.
The Foreign Ministry's statement alleged that the expelled diplomat “has been directly and actively involved in undermining the constitutional order and legal system of Estonia, as well as in dividing Estonian society, contributing to crimes against the state, including several offences related to sanctions violations.”
According to the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs' statement, one Estonian citizen has already been convicted for committing crimes linked to the diplomat’s activities.
“The Russian embassy’s ongoing interference in the internal affairs of the Republic of Estonia must end,” the statement read. “By expelling the diplomat, we are demonstrating that Estonia will not allow any actions orchestrated and organized by a foreign state on its territory.”
Estonia will never tolerate foreign-coordinated & organized activities on its territory.
— Margus Tsahkna (@Tsahkna) August 13, 2025
That is why Estonia has today announced the expulsion of a Russian embassy employee involved in direct & active engagement in undermining Estonia’s constitutional order & interference in… https://t.co/LbK1nK6UCH
The ministry noted that the decision complies with Article 9 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, which allows a host country to declare any member of a diplomatic mission persona non grata at any time without having to justify its decision.
"Estonia will never tolerate foreign-coordinated & organized activities on its territory," Tsahkna, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Estonia, wrote on his official X account.
As of now, at the time of writing this report, the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has not issued any comment on the expulsion, though a response is expected soon.
Relations between Russia and Estonia have been strained in recent years, marked by mutual diplomatic expulsions, Estonia’s strong backing of Ukraine, and ongoing disputes over security policies in the Baltic region, particularly regarding NATO’s military presence.