Estonia summons Russian chargé d'affaires over river border incident

DPA
·1 min read
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Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna speaks to media upon his arrival to attend the Informal Meeting of EU Foreign Affairs Ministers (Gymnich). Johannes Frandsen/European Council/dpa
Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna speaks to media upon his arrival to attend the Informal Meeting of EU Foreign Affairs Ministers (Gymnich). Johannes Frandsen/European Council/dpa
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Estonia has summoned the chargé d'affaires of the Russian embassy in Tallinn over the removal of buoys marking the fairway in the Narva River which separates the two countries.

During the conversation on Friday, Moscow's diplomat was given to understand that such steps were "provocative and unacceptable," according to Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna.

Estonia is demanding an explanation for the removal of the border markers and their immediate return.

On Thursday night, Russian border guards removed 24 buoys floating in the Narva River, which had been used by Estonia to mark the shipping route.

The Narva forms the borderline between the two neighbouring countries and also marks the eastern external border of the EU and NATO.