EU Chief Josep Borrell Condemns Russia's Removal of Estonian Buoys on Narva River

On May 24, 2024, the European Union (EU) strongly condemned Russia's removal of 24 out of 50 navigation buoys from the Narva River, which separates Estonia from Russia. The buoys, recently placed on the Estonian side of the river, serve to direct ships away from foreign waters.

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell described the incident as "unacceptable" and part of a broader pattern of "provocative behaviour and hybrid actions by Russia" in the Baltic Sea region. He demanded an explanation and the immediate return of the buoys.

Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas called the incident a "border incident" and accused Russia of using border-related tools to create fear and anxiety. "Russia uses tools related to the border to create fear and anxiety, with which to sow insecurity in our societies. We see a broader pattern of this," Kallas stated.

The buoys were initially placed on the Estonian side of the Narva River to mark sailing routes and prevent boats from straying into foreign waters. However, Russia has contested the positioning of the buoys since its 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

Estonia's foreign ministry has summoned Russia's chargé d'affaires and demanded the immediate return of the buoys, treating the incident as a "provocative border incident."

The incident follows a brief publication by the Russian defense ministry of a proposal to revise its maritime border in the Baltic Sea, which was deleted after creating concern among NATO members, including Estonia. Moscow has yet to respond to specific Estonian government enquiries regarding the removal of the buoys.

The Narva River links a lake between Russia and Estonia to the Gulf of Finland, and the removal of the buoys has escalated tensions and raised concerns over Russia's provocative behavior in the region.

In summary, the removal of the buoys by Russia has heightened tensions between the two countries and drawn condemnation from the EU. The incident underscores the broader pattern of provocative actions by Russia in the Baltic Sea region.

Key Takeaways

• Russia removes 24 navigation buoys from Narva River, separating Estonia and Russia.
• EU and Estonia condemn the action as "unacceptable" and "provocative behavior".
• Buoys were placed to direct ships away from foreign waters, now Russia contests their positioning.
• Incident escalates tensions and raises concerns over Russia's behavior in the Baltic Sea region.
• EU demands explanation and immediate return of buoys, Moscow yet to respond.