Estonia warns of increased migration pressure on eastern border

Estonian Border Guard Chief Egert Belitšev has warned of an expected surge in migration pressure on the country’s eastern border before the onset of winter. Migrants are reportedly attempting to reach the European Union before freezing temperatures arrive.

Belitšev noted that Russia has eased entry requirements and increased flight frequencies from countries such as Ethiopia, which can travel to Moscow without a visa. Migrants are being transported by bus from Moscow to Belarus, a process Belitšev claims is facilitated by Russian and Belarusian authorities. Organized crime and local officials reportedly profit from these routes, with transport costs for individuals ranging from 5,000 to 10,000 euros.

While Estonia shares a border with Russia rather than Belarus, many migrants reaching Estonia have traveled through the Latvian-Belarusian border. In the last three months, Estonian authorities have detained nearly 200 third-country migrants, most of whom entered via Latvia. For context, Latvian authorities have thwarted approximately 12,000 illegal border crossing attempts so far this year.