Estonian defense contractor Milrem Robotics' fire could have been arson
A building used by Milrem Robotics on Betooni tänav in Tallinn burned overnight into Saturday. Investigators are examining possible motives, including a potential act of sabotage.
On Saturday, a local resident reported suspicious activity near the Milrem Robotics building and alerted the Emergency Response Center. The extent of the damage caused by the fire is still being determined, but preliminary information suggests it may have been arson.
"A criminal investigation is underway. Based on evidence gathered by the ISS and the North Prefecture, suspects in the crime have been identified. The Prosecutor's Office has filed motions with the court seeking the suspects' detention. The investigation is currently in its early stages and possible motives are still being examined, including whether this may have been an attempted act of sabotage," Prosecutor General Astrid Asi said.
"We take attacks against critical infrastructure seriously and recommend paying particular attention to strengthening security measures for both physical and digital infrastructure," ISS Director General Margo Palloson said.
Palloson also confirmed that the threat level in Estonia has not changed in recent years.
"Russia poses a long-term existential threat to Estonia, which means we must take into account possible Russian provocations and nonmilitary threats," Palloson added.
The North Prefecture and the ISS are investigating the circumstances of the incident, while the Office of the Prosecutor General is leading the criminal investigation.
We thank the local resident who noticed the suspicious activity and immediately alerted the Emergency Response Center.
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Editor: Johanna Alvin, Marcus Turovski
