Estonia accuses Russia of ordering August arson attack on Milrem

BELFAST — The Estonian Internal Security Service (KAPO) said today that an arson attack at a Milrem Robotics facility in Tallinn was orchestrated by Russian security services.

The Baltic state agency made the accusation in a post on X, stating that Moscow “commissioned” the “deliberate and pre-planned act” that took place in August, adding that the “attack is directly attributable to the Russian Federation.”

From information “available” to KAPO, “the modus operandi of the Milrem attack is consistent with other acts of sabotage carried out in Europe on behalf of Russia,” added the social media statement.

Milrem, which counts Emirati defense conglomerate EDGE Group as a majority owner, manufacturers THeMIS unmanned ground vehicles, with 15 of them operational in Ukraine as of October 2025, according to a 2025 company statement. Kyiv is to receive over 150 additional units as part of a program funded by the Netherlands.

“Our systems are being used in Ukraine, and we work closely with NATO countries and their armed forces,” a Milrem spokesperson told Breaking Defense in a statement today. “Whether any of this explains why we were targeted is for the ongoing criminal investigation to establish, and we will not speculate about the motive.”

According to the spokesperson, the arson had no material impact to the company’s operations or vehicle deliveries to customers.

KAPO warned that defense industry “companies, particularly those involved in drone technology, as well as organisations supporting Ukraine, have been among the targets of Russian security services, since the beginning of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine.”

Condemning Russia’s purported involvement in the attack on the firm, Estonia’s Prime Minister Kristen Michal said that Moscow’s “campaign across Europe to intimidate us and weaken our support for Ukraine,” will not be successful.

“Our response will be the opposite: stronger security at home, more support for Ukraine and greater pressure on Russia,” he outlined.

Estonia’s Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna also said that Russia’s Chargé d’affaires would be summoned today and that those who carried out the attack “have been arrested and they no longer pose a threat to Estonia.”

Russia denied any involvement in the incident, with Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov telling reporters that “[s]uch statements are baseless, ill-considered, have absolutely no relation to reality, and lack any form of reasoning. Consequently, we cannot and will not take such statements seriously.”

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte applauded Estonia’s decision to publicly attribute the Milrem arson attack to Russia.

Despite Russia’s ongoing “reckless campaign of hostile actions,” it is “failing to undermine our unity and support for Ukraine,” Rutte said today. “Our message to Moscow is clear: we will do even more for Ukraine, and not less.”

Speaking alongside Rutte, Lithuania’s Prime Minister Mindaugas Sinkevičius claimed that Moscow’s actions are “becoming increasingly hostile and less restrained,” but he explained that there is no “real proof” from intelligence agencies that Russia is “getting ready for something” more threatening to Europe, beyond hybrid attacks.

Sinkevičius’ comments follow Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk telling the country’s parliament that based on intelligence, Russia could launch a drone or missile attack on NATO territory in a matter of months.

NATO has “all the response options we need,” to deal with hybrid attacks, Rutte said.