TALLINN – The Estonian Internal Security Service (ISS) said on Feb 20 that it had detained 10 people since December on suspicion of acting on behalf of a Russian special service.

Evidence being gathered for a criminal case indicates that the Russian special service coordinated a “hybrid operation” against European Union and Nato member Estonia, according to an ISS statement.

Estonian investigators suspect that the detainees, whose identities have not been revealed, gathered information to prepare attacks.

The aim of this activity may have been to “sow fear and create tension in Estonian society”, the statement said.

The detainees were instructed to commit various criminal acts, including smashing the windows of cars belonging to the Interior Minister and a journalist, and vandalising memorials.

ISS director-general Margo Palloson said some of the suspects were recruited via social media.

“Russian special services have been trying to create tension in Estonia in many ways for years,” Mr Palloson said in the statement.

Ethnic Russians make up some 22 per cent of the population of Estonia, one of the three Baltic states that used to be part of the Soviet Union, according to EU figures. AFP