Estonia deports Russian citizen over contacts with Russian services

Estonian police deported Russian citizen Leonid Karabeškin on Monday and imposed a Schengen entry ban on him at the proposal of the Estonian Internal Security Service, ERR reported. The deportation is intended to prevent activity that threatens Estonia’s and Europe’s security.

Internal Security Service spokesperson Marta Tuul told ERR that Karabeškin had contacts with Russian special services and people working for them. He travelled regularly to Russia to meet them, Tuul said, adding that several of those people are under sanctions imposed by the European Union and Ukraine for carrying out hostile Russian influence operations.

Tuul said Karabeškin was connected to influence networks including CIRP, RuBaltic and Regnum, as well as people associated with them. In connection with Regnum, she named Sergei Rekeda and Sergei Rudnov; Rudnov is also on the sanctions lists of the United Kingdom and Ukraine.

CIRP, the Centre for Russian International and Regional Policy, employed Karabeškin as a project manager, Tuul said. People with backgrounds in Russia’s Federal Security Service have attended events organised by the centre, she added.