The fire broke out on the night of 15 August at a building on Betooni Street in Tallinn’s Lasnamäe district. Emergency crews brought it under control quickly, and the government said no lives were in danger.
“Today, we can state with full confidence that the arson attack on Milrem in Estonia on the night of 15 August was an act of sabotage commissioned by the special services of the Russian Federation,” Prime Minister Kristen Michal said. He described the attack as part of what Estonia sees as a broader Russian effort to deter European support for Ukraine.
Two Latvian citizens suspected of carrying out the arson were detained in Latvia on 17 August, followed by a third suspect on 18 August. All three were transferred to Estonia in September and are in custody, while investigators have seized data storage devices and items that may have been used to start the fire.
Milrem Robotics supplies THeMIS unmanned ground vehicles to Ukraine in cooperation with EU countries. “Organisations contributing to the support of Ukraine and defence industry companies face an elevated threat,” said Margo Palloson, director general of the Estonian Internal Security Service.
Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said Estonia would work with its partners to increase pressure on Russia, tighten sanctions and continue supporting Ukraine. The government said preliminary findings in the criminal case also indicate that the attack was commissioned.
