A NATO state dramatically closed part of its border with Russia after mysterious “armed groups” appeared near the frontier, sparking fears of a stunt by Vladimir Putin’s forces.
The sudden move came after unidentified gun-wielding personnel were seen close to “Saatse Booty” – a bizarre stretch of road where Estonia’s border briefly cuts through Russian territory.
NATO state Estonia dramatically closed a section of its border with Russia at Saatse Saapa – or Saatse Boot – after a sudden surge of unidentified “armed groups” were seen spotted close to the frontier.East2West
NATO state Estonia dramatically closed a section of its border with Russia at Saatse Saapa – or Saatse Boot – after a sudden surge of unidentified “armed groups” were seen spotted close to the frontier.East2West
The armed men were wearing unmarked uniforms and were not Russian border guards, raising alarm bells in Tallinn.
It immediately evoked chilling echoes of Putin’s “little green men” – armed troops in the mystery uniforms used to seize Crimea in 2014.
An Estonian border guard source said: “We saw extremely large units with intense activity.
“These are definitely not border guards. For us, it clearly created a threat.”
Footage from the area showed groups of armed Russians moving near the crossing point.
A source added: “At first, they moved along the roadside, but at some point they simply lined up across the road.
“That created a dangerous situation for us, and we had to make a decision immediately to close the highway passing through the Saatse Boot.”
Estonia is widely viewed as NATO’s most vulnerable member to a potential Russian invasion.
The flashpoint came as two RAF planes joined a 12-hour NATO patrol near Russian airspace after a series of recent incursions into the skies of Estonia, Poland and Romania.
“Not only does this provide valuable intelligence to boost the operational awareness of our Armed Forces, but sends a powerful message of NATO unity to [Russian President Vladimir] Putin and our adversaries,” said British defence minister John Healey.
Britain currently has around 900 troops stationed in northeastern Estonia, roughly 113 miles from the border where the incident unfolded.
“Closing the Saatse Saapa crossing is necessary to ensure the safety of Estonian people and prevent possible incidents,” said a statement from Estonia’s border guards.
The road is a shortcut regularly used by Estonian drivers, allowing them to pass briefly through Russian territory without stopping.
Officials fear the location could be exploited by Moscow to stage provocations against Western citizens.
NATO state Estonia dramatically closed a section of its border with RussiaEast2West
Russia attacks Chuhuiv in Ukraine’s Kharkiv region.East2West
“Russian border guards are regularly patrolling the Saatse Saapa crossing, because it is their territory,” said Künter Pedosk, a regional border guard manager.
“There was a larger than usual movement there.
“We decided to close the road to prevent possible provocations and incidents, because our goal is to make sure that the people of Estonia are safe….
“The passage is more risky than usual. We decided to temporarily close the [border] to prevent escalation.”
The tension at the NATO frontier came as Ukraine launched a major overnight drone attack on a hypermarket complex in Donetsk city, formerly run by French retailer Auchan.
Russia continued to pummel Ukraine over Saturday night with drones and missilesEast2West
Fire at a former supermarket in Russian-occupied Donetsk after Ukrainian drone attackEast2West
The building, now known as Sigma, erupted in flames after the assault.
Explosions echoed across the city as the drones struck.
A resident told Ukrainian TV the site had been used by Russian troops.
“Something started detonating,” said the local source.
“We looked, and there was Sigma burning.
“The fire spread to a nearby grove.
“Before that, we saw military vehicles parked there in the evenings.”
Elsewhere, Russian forces hit a power plant in the Ukrainian-controlled part of Donetsk, causing widespread power cuts.
Meanwhile, ATESH anti-Putin partisans carried out a sabotage operation on a railway in Novocherkassk, in Russia’s Rostov region.
The attack caused delays in ammunition and troop supplies heading to the frontline.
Russia also bombed Chuhuiv, in Ukraine’s Kharkiv region, striking an educational facility and homes.
Among the wounded were two women aged 59 and 78, two men aged 54 and 69, and a 12-year-old girl.
The border closure and strikes underscore the escalating tensions along NATO’s eastern flank, as the war grinds on with no sign of easing.
It comes as Putin continues to launch brutal air assaults on UkraineEast2West