Kremlin Downplays Estonia’s Troop Shift to Border, Plays Up Russia’s Intelligence Capabilities

Oct. 5, 2026 Estonian military. mil.ee The Kremlin on Monday said Russia’s intelligence services were capable of monitoring military movements along the country’s borders, brushing aside reports that Estonia is shifting troops closer to the Russian border. “There should be no doubt that our Defense Ministry and other relevant services possess the necessary intelligence to properly monitor and assess the situation around our borders,” spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters during a daily briefing. His comments come in response to the Financial Times detailing Estonia’s strategic pivot toward an “active defense” posture after observing Russia’s military tactics in Ukraine. Under the updated doctrine, the Baltic nation of 1.3 million is moving primary combat units from northern Estonia’s Tapa to Jõhvi — 50 kilometers (31 miles) from the border with the Leningrad region. Estonia is also constructing new facilities in the border city of Narva to house up to 1,000 troops during a crisis. Instead of a doctrine involving efforts to “harry” invading Russian forces until the arrival of NATO reinforcements, Estonian military planners are now opting to “fight over every inch of territory.” The country is also acquiring drones and ballistic missiles capable of striking up to 300 kilometers (186 miles) inside Russian territory. Estonia, a former Soviet republic that has long had strained relations with Moscow, has been at the forefront of countering Russian security threats and has strongly backed Ukraine since Putin ordered the full-scale invasion in February 2022. The FT report comes amid escalating rhetoric between European officials and Russia. Martin Jaeger, the head of Germany's BND foreign intelligence agency, said Monday that Germany faces a real risk of entering a “violent conflict” with Russia as Moscow expands its “shadow war” of hybrid attacks across Europe. Jaeger warned that in the short term Russia could engage in “low-intensity military activities, particularly in the Baltic states.” Reuters contributed reporting. Read more about: Estonia , Peskov Sign up for our free weekly newsletter Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy We sent a confirmation to your email. Please confirm your subscription. A Message from The Moscow Times: Dear readers, We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent." These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia. We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help. Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact. By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us. Once Monthly Annual Continue Not ready to support today? Remind me later. × Remind me next month Remind me Thank you! Your reminder is set. We will send you one reminder email a month from now. For details on the personal data we collect and how it is used, please see our Privacy Policy. Read more Estonia, Lithuania Threaten Seizure of Russian Vehicles All three Baltic states issued back-to-back entry bans this week for Russian-registered cars. 1 Min read Moscow Expels Estonian Ambassador as Tallinn Pledges More Arms to Kyiv Russia has expelled Estonia’s ambassador from Moscow in a move against its “Russophobic” Baltic neighbor, Russia’s Foreign Ministry ... Estonia Announces Expulsion of 21 Russian Diplomatic Staff Estonia announced the expulsion of 21 Russian diplomats and embassy staff in order to "reach parity" between the two nations' diplomatic personnel on Wednesday... Kremlin Criticizes Trump’s Statements on NATO and Russia The Kremlin has criticized Donald Trump’s controversial statement about а hypothetical Russian invasion of the Baltics as “not the best formulation...