Estonian FM: Stop calling Russian attacks 'hybrid', they are 'terror attacks'

European leaders must stop calling Russian attacks “hybrid,” according to Estonia's foreign minister. They are “terror attacks” and “sabotage attacks,” Margus Tsahkna told POLITICO in an interview, and part of a systematic Russian effort against Europe that amounts to “some kind of war."

Tsahkna was speaking after Estonia’s announcement Tuesday that Russian special services were behind an August arson attack on a building in Tallinn used by Milrem Robotics, which supplies unmanned ground vehicles to Ukraine. Three Latvian citizens suspected of starting the fire have been handed over to Estonia and will face the full force of the law, Tsahkna said.

The Milrem Robotics attack was one of a spate of similar incidents, including August drone attacks at Leipzig-Halle airport, which German authorities also attributed to Russia.

“Easy money,” rather than ideology, motivates many of Russia's recruits for drone and arson attacks, and European countries must make clear that such saboteurs will be harshly punished to deter future incidents, the foreign minister said.

“The message is that if you collaborate with the Russian secret services, you will be caught and sent to prison,” Tsahkna said. “Think many times before” taking part in such operations, he warned.

European governments should gather and share evidence so they can publicly attribute attacks to Russia, coordinate their intelligence and security services more closely, and make clear that those who collaborate with Moscow will face tough consequences, Tsahkna said.

The Kremlin aims to “divide our societies, divide our unity, and play with fear,” he said, warning that more serious attacks, including ones that claim multiple European lives, are more likely if Russian President Vladimir Putin believes the EU is not responding collectively.

The EU is working on a new security strategy, expected later this year. Tsahkna said it should improve intelligence sharing, invest in security services and give countries the ability to respond rapidly to unconventional warfare.

Currently, “Russia is not able to wage any military full-scale aggression or attacks against NATO,” Tsahkna said. “But it doesn't mean that it may not happen in the future. So let's use this time for preparation.”

“We must coordinate our intelligence services, secret police,” he said. “We need to take Putin very seriously; he's a terrorist. He is using all the different opportunities to attack us already, so we need to understand that the business as usual is not coming back.”

Governments also need to communicate clearly with the public, he said, so people know what to do in the event of an emergency without panicking.