Russian border guards detained two logistics experts of the Police who accidentally crossed the Russian border

At around 15:00 today, Russian border guards detained two PBGB logistics experts at the Saatse border crossing point. The men had accidentally crossed the border in preparation for border maintenance.

PBGB logistics experts were at the Saatse border crossing point in Setomaa this afternoon to inspect a border section where maintenance is planned.

Two of the three logistics experts, men aged 61 and 57, erroneously drove an ATV into Russian territory near the border crossing point. Russian border guards detained the men near the border crossing point shortly before 15:00.

The logistics experts had erroneously chosen a patrol road on the Russian side instead of an asphalt road on the Estonian side to travel near the border crossing point. The PBGB officials were a few metres into the Russian territory when they were detained.

During detention, the PBGB officials did not put up resistance, while the Russian border guards did not use any force against them.

“Today’s incident was caused by a human error. We are currently doing our utmost to get our employees back to Estonia as soon as possible. We will keep their loved ones informed of our efforts,” said Vallo Koppel, Prefect of the South Prefecture.

The PBGB invited a representative of the Russian Border Guard to the Saatse border crossing point at 17:00 today for a meeting of assistant border representatives, where the border crossing was recorded. However, the meeting failed to agree on the immediate transfer of PBGB employees to Estonia.

The two detained PBGB logistics experts are not police officers but employees working on the basis of an employment contract. They were preparing border maintenance in plain clothes and without any special equipment.