Estonian defence firms are in Russia’s sights, industry chief says

Estonian defence companies are in Russia’s sights, and state security agencies are keeping them informed of potential threats, Kalev Koidumäe, head of the Estonian Defence Industry Association, told ERR.

“As has been reported in public sources, all companies supporting Ukraine are in one way or another in the Russian Federation’s sights, as it seeks to influence and hinder that activity as far as possible,” Koidumäe said.

After the arson attack on Milrem, the association worked with state security agencies to advise companies on preparing plans to reduce risks. Koidumäe said the association would alert its members if threat levels escalated. He said the most important support the state could provide was information to help defence companies maintain awareness of the situation.

Some defence companies’ addresses and locations are publicly available online, and their owners can be identified through the commercial register. The association has proposed restricting certain information in view of the security environment.

The association knows of no similar attack against another company before the Milrem arson. Koidumäe said there may have been misdemeanours or other incidents, but it was not aware of any comparable cases.

Companies can protect themselves through physical security measures, including securing their perimeters and controlling access. But developers may also be at risk, not just their buildings. Koidumäe said the association has informed start-ups about potential threats so they can pay closer attention to security, from cybersecurity and data handling to physical protection.