Unusual Appearance Of Armed ‘Mystery’ Russian Men On Estonia’s Border Raises NATO Alarm

The Estonian government and media are making noise among NATO allies about mysterious armed men which showed up on the Baltic country’s border on the Russian side.

“Unidentified Russian troops spotted at Estonia’s border have raised concern in Tallinn while Moscow has dismissed it as routine,” European media reports, following several weeks of alleged drone incursions in European airspace, which have placed EU members on high alert.

“Russian troops with concealed faces and unmarked uniforms have appeared at Estonia’s border, echoing tactics used at Ukraine’s borders in 2014,” the same report claims. Estonian officials are hyping the as yet undefined threat as a “clear danger”. But it does seem that someone on the Russian side was sending a ‘message’.

Some Western observers have claimed this is all part of a series of intentional provocations and ‘distractions’ to keep European allies from focusing on arming and aiding Ukraine. There’s also been speculation these could be troops from PMC Wagner or another mercenary outfit. 

The “armed men at the border” incident happened last Friday, at what’s called the Saatse Boot, which is a small protrusion of Russian territory surrounded by Estonia on three sides.

Estonian Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur has indicated in fresh remarks that after an intelligence investigation the identities or purpose of the camouflaged men have not been uncovered. 

“Ask the Russians,” Pevkur told a regional outlet. “Communicating with Russia means that you can never expect that they will tell the truth. They will just tell you what they want to say.”

He then in the remarks tried to link the incident with alleged airspace violations by Russia. “It was the same also with the MiGs they said were not in their airspace,” he added, referencing a September incident involving a pair of MiG fighter jets.

But in the meantime, Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna has sought to calm public fears and tensions pointing out in a social media post that the threat level has not changed. 

“To be clear: nothing acute is happening on the border. The Russians are acting somewhat more assertively and visibly than before, but the situation remains under control,” Tsahkna has stated on X.

NEW: Armed Russian “little green men” have been spotted near the Estonia–Russia border. pic.twitter.com/S2mqI9sJZb

— Clash Report (@clashreport) October 11, 2025

The pro-NATO publication, Amsterdam-based Moscow Times has underscored that the location where the armed men were spotted has a unique and somewhat disputed history:

A remnant of the Soviet annexation of Estonia during World War II, the Saatse Boot is traversed by Estonia’s Road 178, which connects the Estonian villages of Lutepaa and Sesniki. It is possible to drive along this road without a Russian entry visa as long as the traveler does not stop. 

A 2005 treaty sought to pre-empt problems by swapping the boot for two small parcels of Estonian land, but Moscow never ratified the treaty despite signing it and Tallinn has since ruled out territorial exchanges with Russia. Although Estonia closed the stretch of Road 178 that cuts through the Saatse Boot after the men were spotted…

As for the road closure, this came after Estonian Border Guard reported that its officers had “noticed a larger-than-usual unit” on Russian territory near the road.

The agency then closed the road “to prevent possible provocations and incidents,” according to regional operational head Künter Pedosk. Over the weekend the border service published video of the seven men standing directly on the road.

“It’s not news that Russia is using its own territory for different activities,” Estonia’s defense minister had further described. “This time, they came very close to the Estonian border. They stepped out from the boot to the road.”