Cyprus News Agency

Estonian Minister of Foreign Affairs Margus Tsahkna announced new sanctions against Russian citizens involved in war crimes in Ukraine.

Providing details on the scope of the sanctions, Tsahkna said: “We promised action and we kept our word. Estonia has added another 1,073 Russian fighters who fought in Ukraine to the Schengen entry ban list. These are individuals who committed serious crimes in Ukraine, such as murder, destruction, rape, and looting.”

Stating that these individuals pose a threat to European security, Tsahkna added: “Former fighters serve as a recruitment pool for Russian intelligence and pose a real risk of sabotage, subversive activities, and organized crime on European soil. Closing the Schengen Area to them is about protecting the security of all Europeans. We are determined to ensure that no Russian citizen who took up arms against Ukraine can enter Europe.”

Tsahkna concluded his statement by saying: “Aggression has a price. Banning entry to the Schengen Area is part of that price. You cannot kill one day and enjoy civilized Europe the next.”