BALTIC TENSION Estonia says official seized by Russia wasn't spying

Published September 09, 2014

This 2010 photo shows Eston Kohver, right, receivning a decoration from Estonia's President Toomas Hendrik. (AP)AP

Estonia is trying to make contact with an Estonian security official detained by Russia for spying after a scuffle at the border.

Russia has refused to let the Estonian consul in Moscow meet Eston Kohver. "We don't know where they are keeping him behind bars," the Estonian Security Police (Kapo) told the BBC Monday.

There is a dispute about whether Kohver was seized on Estonian or Russian soil.

"We had protection for him," police spokesman Harrys Puusepp said, but there were "explosions" during the incident which enabled the assailants to abduct Kohver at gunpoint.

Estonia's foreign ministry summoned the Russian ambassador Friday over what it called the abduction of Kohver by "unidentified individuals from Russia" near Luhamaa border checkpoint.

The alleged abductors reportedly jammed Estonian radio communications and used at least one smoke grenade during the incident.

Russia's domestic security service, the FSB, said it had detained Kohver for conducting a "spying operation" on Russian territory.

The FSB claimed Kohver was caught carrying a gun, 5,000 euros ($6,539) in cash, an eavesdropping device, and "other materials related to intelligence-gathering."

Puusepp dismissed that allegation, saying Kohver "isn't in counter-intelligence - he was working on organized crime, contraband and corruption."

"We have proof he was definitely on Estonian ground. In that area the Estonian border is not fenced, it's bushes, high grass and forest. There's no line on the ground but everyone knows where it goes, it's recognized by both sides," Puusepp said.

"As far as we know he wasn't injured," Puusepp said.

"The consul should have been allowed to get into contact. The consul needs to meet him and get to the bottom of this situation," Puusepp added.

He said the border incident was "very unusual - I can't remember anything like this since Estonia regained independence [in 1991]".

Tension is already high in the region with the European Union and NATO accusing Russia of directly helping separatists in eastern Ukraine with regular troops and heavy weapons. Russia denies providing any assistance to the rebels.

Estonia-- like neighboring Baltic states Latvia and Lithuania-- joined NATO in 2004.