Estonian FM bans entry to first 261 Russian fighters involved in aggression against Ukraine

The Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has banned entry to the first 261 Russian fighters who participated in the war of aggression against Ukraine, Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna announced.

“Estonia has imposed entry bans on the first 261 of Russian combatants who took part in the war of aggression against Ukraine - and this is only the beginning. Hundreds of thousands of fighters from the aggressor state have been involved in this brutal war, committing atrocities and spreading violence. They have no place in Estonia and in the Schengen area,” he said on X Monday.

The minister added that Estonia continues to work to ensure that the doors remain closed to Russian former combatants and called on other countries to do the same.

In turn, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha thanked his Estonian counterpart for his "clear and principled position."

"I highly commend Estonia and Tsakhna personally for their clear and principled position on this important decision. Those who participated in Russia's aggressive war must be held accountable. The entry ban is a necessary security measure and a clear signal that impunity will not be tolerated. We call on our partners to adhere to this approach," he wrote on social media X.

According to public sources, an entry ban into one Schengen Area country is entered into the Schengen Information System (SIS), blocking entry into all participating countries.