Overview
- Estonia halted traffic on the short road through the Saatse Boot on Oct. 10 after guards spotted a larger-than-usual group of masked Russian soldiers.
- Interior Minister Igor Taro said on Oct. 11 the soldiers had left the area, yet the road will stay closed for several days.
- Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna described reports of rising border tension as exaggerated and said nothing acute is occurring.
- The episode followed recent airspace and drone incidents that led Tallinn and Warsaw to trigger NATO Article 4 consultations.
- Authorities are keeping the route shut as they advance a bypass set to open in 2026, with Estonian media expecting the present closure to last until Tuesday.