Estonia introduces full customs control at Russian border

The Estonian government has strengthened inspection measures at the border with Russia and implemented complete customs control, according to Report,which cites the national public broadcasting portal ERR,

The new measures apply to all border checkpoints along the Russian-Estonian frontier, including Narva, Luhamaa, and Koidula. The primary objective is to prevent the entry of goods into Russia that are subject to the anti-Russian sanctions imposed by the European Union.

According to Estonian Finance Minister Jürgen Ligi, the enhanced measures will primarily involve "visual inspections and questioning of passengers". In cases of suspicion or on a random basis, additional examination of personal belongings, including X-ray scans, will be conducted.

On August 1, Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna announced that starting from August 8, the Baltic republic would intensify border checks and introduce full customs control at the Russian border. In May 2024, Poland, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia signed an agreement to strengthen monitoring of compliance with EU sanctions against Russia and exchange relevant information.