On the remote southeastern edge of Estonia, a narrow road known as the Saatse Boot has long served as a curious lifeline for local residents—one that, for about a kilometer, briefly snakes through Russian territory before returning to Estonian soil. For years, this peculiar arrangement, a relic of Soviet-era border-drawing, has allowed Estonians to cross without stopping, provided they never exit their vehicles or linger on the Russian stretch. But on October 10, 2025, the delicate balance that governed this border oddity was upended, thrusting the region into the center of a tense geopolitical standoff.
According to ERR News and confirmed by multiple sources, Estonian border guards detected an unusual uptick in Russian military activity near the Saatse Boot on October 10. Meelis Saarepu, head of the Estonian Border Guard Service’s Southern Prefecture, reported seeing “various armed groups moving along the border and in its immediate vicinity.” Notably, he said, “Based on their uniforms, they were definitely not border guards.” The sighting of seven armed Russian soldiers—dressed in unmarked uniforms, reminiscent of the infamous “little green men” who sparked the Crimea crisis in 2014—quickly set off alarm bells in Tallinn.
Estonian authorities wasted no time seeking clarification from Moscow. The Russian side replied that these were merely “routine activities” on their border. Yet, as Interior Minister Igor Taro told Postimees on October 11, “the behavior of the soldiers was unusual, and border guards have not stood in the middle of the road so far.” While the armed individuals had already left by the time officials responded, their appearance was enough to prompt immediate action. “The priority now is to complete the bypass in order to avoid potentially dangerous situations that could lead, for example, to an Estonian ending up in a Pskov prison,” Taro emphasized.
By October 12, Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna announced the temporary closure of the Saatse Boot road to “avoid any potential incidents.” He explained on social media, “To be clear: nothing acute is happening on the border. The Russians are acting somewhat more assertively and visibly than before, but the situation remains under control.” In a statement to The Kyiv Independent, Tsahkna described the road’s existence as a “historical anomaly” and revealed that Estonia intended to stop using it altogether. “An alternative route that bypasses Russian territory is already available, and a new one is under construction,” he said, adding that the closure would stay in effect at least until Tuesday, October 14, as authorities continued to monitor the area.
For the roughly 1.37 million citizens of this NATO member state, such incidents are more than just local curiosities—they are stark reminders of the precariousness of life on the alliance’s eastern frontier. Estonia shares a 294-kilometer border with Russia, making it one of NATO’s most exposed members. The Saatse Boot, with its strict rules—no stopping, no exiting vehicles, and no lingering on either side—has always been a point of vulnerability. Locals are accustomed to seeing Russian border guards along the road, but the sudden appearance of armed troops in unmarked uniforms was a jarring escalation.
The incident did not occur in isolation. As The Kyiv Independent and Reuters highlight, it followed a string of recent provocations in the region, including the violation of Estonian airspace by three Russian MiG-31 fighters in September, which prompted NATO consultations. There have also been mysterious drone incursions across several European countries—Poland, Romania, and Germany among them—adding to a sense of mounting pressure on the alliance’s eastern flank. “Russia has intensified its campaigns against Western nations, including on European territory and through intermediaries,” Tsahkna said.
The use of unmarked troops—so-called “little green men”—has become a hallmark of Russian hybrid tactics since the 2014 annexation of Crimea. German intelligence chief Bruno Kahl warned in July that Moscow might employ similar measures beyond Ukraine, testing NATO’s readiness and probing for weaknesses. “They don’t need to send tanks for that,” Kahl remarked. “They just have to send ‘little green men’ to Estonia to defend the allegedly oppressed Russian minority.”
Estonian officials, however, have sought to downplay the immediate threat while remaining vigilant. Kunter Pedoski, operational commander of Estonia’s Southern Prefecture, noted, “Russian border guards routinely patrol the area near Saatse, as it lies within their territory. However, today we noticed significantly more movement than usual.” Marko Mihkelson, chairman of the Estonian parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, told The Kyiv Independent, “Russia has not changed its main strategic objective—the destruction, or more precisely, the subjugation of the existing security order in Europe to its own will.” He added, “The recent airspace violations in Poland, Romania, Estonia, Germany, Denmark, and Norway only confirm that Russia acts with a sense of impunity.”
Despite the heightened visibility of Russian forces, Estonian authorities have stressed that no actual border crossing by Russian troops has occurred, and the situation remains calm. “Our current assessment is that the appearance of seven soldiers a few days ago is not a new development or a new tactic to test NATO or Estonia,” an Estonian official told The Kyiv Independent on condition of anonymity. Mihkelson echoed this, describing the display near Saatse as “not a direct provocation but rather an attempt to demonstrate presence.”
Yet, the incident has reignited local frustrations over the slow pace of constructing a new bypass road. Residents have long complained that the government has dragged its feet, citing delays due to environmental impact assessments—since the new route would cross a protected nature reserve. Initially slated for completion in 2028, the project now faces at least a year’s delay. The lack of a secure, direct route not only inconveniences locals but also hampers emergency services’ ability to respond quickly.
From a broader perspective, the episode underscores the persistent tension along NATO’s eastern border and the ongoing risks posed by Russian hybrid tactics. Estonian Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur cautioned against overreacting to such provocations, warning, “This is exactly what Russia wants—for us to overreact and then claim that NATO started the war with Russia. You cannot fall into that trap.” The consensus among Estonian and NATO officials is that the most effective response is to strengthen support for Ukraine and reinforce the alliance’s collective defense commitments. “Russia can only be deterred and compelled to desist if we drive its aggression in Ukraine to a strategic defeat,” Mihkelson asserted.
As the border remains under careful watch and the Saatse Boot stays closed, life in southeastern Estonia continues—albeit with a heightened sense of caution. For many, the incident is a stark reminder that the shadow of history still stretches across the fields and forests of Europe’s eastern edge, and that vigilance, unity, and preparedness are more vital than ever.