Harju County Court convicted citizen Nikita Kuzmin on Tuesday.

According to the charges, Kuzmin established a relationship with an officer of the Main Directorate of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation (GRU) while living in Russia no later than 2024, the State Prosecutor's Office said.

Acting on behalf of and in the interests of the GRU, Kuzmin collected information about military and civilian facilities in Estonia's eastern border town Narva and the surrounding area.

Prosecutor Margaret Beres said participation in intelligence activities directed against Estonia's security and cooperation with Russian security and intelligence agencies are subject to severe punishment.

The Estonian Internal Security Service (ISS/KAPO) has repeatedly stated that there are risks associated with studying in Russia.

"Nikita Kuzmin was recruited from a university in Russia. Russian universities employ undercover officers of the Russian special services, one of whose tasks is to recruit foreign students who face no restrictions on travel to Western countries," Taavi Narits, deputy director general of the Estonian Internal Security Service, said.

"Going to study in Russia at the Russian state's expense comes at a very high price; payment for it is often demanded in the form of cooperation in the future, and if they refuse, a new student may instead find themselves on the war front," he added.

The pre-trial investigation was conducted by the Estonian Internal Security Service and the proceedings were led by the State Prosecutor's Office.

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