Russian spy sentenced in Estonia for FSB espionage

According to the prosecution, Russian citizen Pavlo Kapustin knowingly cooperated with the Federal Security Service of Russia (FSB), collecting and transmitting information that posed a threat to Estonia's national security.

In particular, he informed the Russian side about the dismantling of a Soviet tank monument in Narva, as well as the sentiments of the local population during Prigozhin's mutiny in Russia.

In addition to espionage, the convict organized illegal shipments of goods subject to international sanctions. He ordered sanctioned goods from Europe to Estonia and transferred them to customers in Russia.

He also submitted false information to the Police and Border Guard Board when applying for a residence permit.

The prosecution emphasized that even the transfer of publicly available information can be dangerous if it is used by the intelligence services of a hostile state.

Viru County Court found him guilty of espionage for the Russian FSB and sentenced him to six and a half years in prison. The man was also ordered to transfer property worth nearly 90,000 euros to the state.

Espionage cases in Europe

Due to the espionage threat from China, the UK government is considering entry restrictions for Chinese citizens arriving in the country for official purposes.

It has also been reported that Germany's Federal Ministry of Justice and Consumer Protection intends to introduce a new bill to strengthen penalties for terrorism and espionage on behalf of foreign states.

In addition, Russian agents are also suspected of sabotaging underwater communication cables and gas pipelines, particularly in the Baltic region. This has prompted European countries to sign an agreement on the protection of underwater infrastructure.