Estonia bans entry to more than 1,000 individuals who fought for Russia against Ukraine

Estonia has imposed an entry ban to the Schengen Area on a further 1,073 individuals who fought against Ukraine on the side of Russian forces.

Source: Igor Taro, Estonia's Minister of the Interior, as quoted by ERR and reported by European Pravda

Details: According to the Estonian interior minister, Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine is one of the gravest crimes against humanity.

"Russian servicemen who fought and continue to fight in Ukraine have killed, destroyed, raped and looted. Closing off the shared European security space and the Schengen Area to them is in the security interests of all of us," the minister said.

Taro noted that experience from Russia's previous wars shows that individuals returning from the front often seek new violence-related challenges within organised crime.

In addition, he emphasised that aggression must come at a cost for the aggressor.

"The European Union has imposed political and economic sanctions against Russia as an aggressor state. However, this is not only the Kremlin's war, as hundreds of thousands of Russian citizens have fought and continue to fight against Ukraine. An aggressive war must have a price for each of them as well. Closing the Schengen Area to them is one component of that price," he underlined.

Background:

• In January, Estonia announced entry bans for 261 individuals who had taken part in the war against Ukraine on Russia's side.
• It was also reported that Estonia has submitted a proposal for consideration by EU member states to ban entry to the Schengen Area for those who participated in hostilities against Ukraine within the ranks of the Russian army.
• Following a meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council, Kaja Kallas, the EU's chief diplomat, said that the idea has the support of many countries and will continue to be discussed.

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