Estonia’s Internal Security Service has expelled a Russian citizen and serving member of the Russian armed forces from the country, citing national security concerns.
The agency confirmed on Friday that the individual, identified as David Arutyunyan, was removed from Estonia in cooperation with the police. He has also been issued with a ban on entry to the Schengen Area.
In an unusually pointed social media post, the Internal Security Service remarked that Arutyunyan had “dreamed of the Russian army”, adding that during his expulsion he concealed his face behind a mask – a detail clearly intended to underscore the contrast between public allegiance and private conduct.
No further details were provided about the specific security considerations behind the decision, a restraint typical of Estonia’s counterintelligence authorities. However, the case comes amid heightened vigilance across the Baltic states regarding Russian military personnel and individuals with ties to the Kremlin’s security structures.
Estonia has repeatedly stressed that while it remains open and democratic, it will act decisively where national security is concerned – particularly in the context of Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine and its broader pressure on NATO’s eastern flank.
