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Estonian Security Guard Sentenced for Spying on Border Activities for Russian Security Service
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In Estonia, a security guard at the Koidula border crossing has been caught passing information to Russia for at least three years, at the behest of the FSB. This information included details about activities at the border and the personnel working there, as reported by Postimees on January 21, according to European Pravda.
The individual involved is Vyacheslav Efimov, who held both Estonian and Russian citizenship. He had been working as a guard in Koidula’s waiting area for several years. His frequent trips to Russia raised suspicions, attracting the attention of the FSB.
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In September 2022, FSB officer Nikolai Tarasov, stationed on the Russian side in Kunichina Gora, approached Efimov and offered him cooperation.
The Estonian Security Police (KaPo) reported that Efimov knew exactly who he was dealing with. He passed on information about the checkpoint's operations, staff movements, their opinions on Russia’s war against Ukraine, and events visible from the Russian side of the border.
There was no direct coercion or blackmail, and Efimov did not receive any monetary compensation. His primary motivation was to avoid any issues with border crossings and retain his position in Estonia.
Efimov did not have access to classified government information, and the data he provided may seem minor at first glance.
However, KaPo explained that the FSB uses this type of information to gain a comprehensive understanding of how Estonian border checkpoints operate. This allows them to identify vulnerabilities in border security, which can be exploited if needed.
Additionally, the FSB found the information about the checkpoint staff valuable for recruiting new agents.
The investigation also uncovered Efimov’s involvement in a corruption scheme at Railservis, a company that managed the waiting area. This scheme allowed trucks to bypass the queue for a bribe. Efimov received a more lenient sentence than usual for this kind of offense, due to his cooperation. The Criminal Code stipulates that espionage against Estonia can result in a prison sentence of 2 to 15 years.
According to the report, the Tartu County Court sentenced him to three years in prison as part of a plea deal. He also received a six-month sentence for bribery, but this was absorbed into the longer sentence, so Efimov will serve a total of three years in Tartu prison.
Earlier, Latvian authorities arrested at least three people linked to a group known as the "Anti-Fascists of the Baltics." Investigators claim the group ran an informant network that provided Russian intelligence with critical information.
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