I Guard Our Border With Russia. They Use Migration Attacks

On February 24, 2022, the media shocked us with news of Russia launching a full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

We usually spend that date celebrating the Independence Day of the Republic of Estonia, but it suddenly acquired a much darker tone and revealed the long-concealed true face of our neighbor as an aggressor country.

That day, I began the first night shift of my service as field manager at the border crossing point of Narva in Estonia and had spent the preceding day resting up for duties.

However, my usual rest routine was interrupted by an influx of messages and emails containing news that abruptly altered our customary world order.

Whilst I had been aware of signs pointing to Russia's potential invasion of Ukraine (through intelligence information made public in various allied countries), deep down I had hoped these would remain as just speculation.

Would it really be possible that in the 21st century, when international relations and diplomacy should prevent history from repeating, we would once again experience the horrors of war right in the heart of Europe?

But this is what happened. The true extent and severity of the news did not sink in at first, and it took time to make sense of and come to terms with the new situation.

For us in Estonia, Russia went from being a contentious neighbor to an aggressor, whose actions now required heightened attention and caution.

Work at the border crossing point and the border guard station was extensively reorganized. New orders and guidelines were issued to reinforce border control, and checks stepped up so each arriving person and vehicle was inspected more thoroughly.

Our Incredible New Reality

The first weeks after the beginning of the war in Ukraine were relatively calm at the border crossing point, but as time went on, the situation changed drastically.

War refugees began arriving, using both the internal and external border of the EU, including the Narva border crossing point.

Operational guidelines and sanctions against Russia were updated weekly, which in turn impacted the volume of work and the time it took to carry out the tasks.

The hours spent at work were clouded by news of the tragic situation in Ukraine, which had become an incredible new reality. These events generated palpable anxiety in our working environment; we were all aware of the uncertainty of what was to come.

The influx of refugees increased day by day, putting border crossing points under great pressure.

Our biggest challenge was distinguishing authentic refugees from opportunists who sought entry to Europe to receive the special treatment accorded to refugees or those who constituted a potential threat to our national security.

We also had to stand up to pressure from volunteer organizations operating in Russia that tended to label all those arriving from there as refugees.

These circumstances, together with ever-deteriorating relations with Russia's border guard, shaped a new reality that needs to be tackled every day.

Full Horror

I experienced a deeply moving and heartbreaking moment when passport inspection informed me of two war refugees from Ukraine. Accompanied by her mother was an 11-year-old child who bore a painful imprint from the war: A bullet wound.

Meeting that family stretched my emotional resilience to the limit; the look in the eyes of that child, who was the same age as my own, and knowing the brutality she had endured, saddened me deeply.

Moments like this make one wonder about the cruelty people must carry inside to be able to cause such vast pain to an innocent child.

Although the war in Ukraine had lasted for almost a month by then, it was on that night I finally understood its full horror.

I joined the team of the border guard station of the city of Narva in July 2022 to learn new skills and delve into the nuances of guarding the "green border" with Russia.

I currently work there as a group leader. Our area of responsibility covers a 77-kilometre border section. I plan and coordinate the service, leading the teams to ensure constant surveillance of our border and compliance with the border regime requirements.

When I took on my new role, I was initially unaware of how much had changed at the green border compared to the pre-war period, though I knew of significant changes to our border operations.

Since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, Estonia's Police and Border Guard Board has stepped up cooperation with various partners, including the Estonian Defence League, the Estonian Defence Forces, and Frontex.

We have organized joint training exercises with the Defence League, playing out various scenarios to improve preparedness.

Border control will be further reinforced with the help of a forthcoming special border guard team of the Defence League, and we are currently joined at our eastern border by officials on secondment from the European Border and Coast Guard.

Unstable Aggressor

In our work, we are continually aware that across the Narva River, there is an unstable aggressor country that has always been interested in what we do.

Therefore, it is part of our routine work to constantly monitor what is going on, either across the river or locally. The Narva border guard station is responsible for a diverse region, including sparsely populated areas and the city of Narva itself.

Narva is a historic and unique city located at the border between Estonia and Russia, forming an intersection of cultures, where the Russian-speaking community contributes to a unique cultural tapestry that is an integral part of our cultural heritage.

The local Russian-speaking residents differ in their opinions regarding the war in Ukraine. Some of them do not consider Russia an aggressor, but rather a supporter—a stance that is solidified by the narrative created by the Russian media.

Such perspectives highlight both the personal right of interpretation and the impact of the media environment on people's opinions.

The narratives spread by pro-Russian media have influenced the beliefs and worldviews of the residents of Narva. A carefully curated media image has lured many into believing that Russia's actions in Ukraine are justified.

This illustrates the impact of the media on how people's opinions are formed and the importance of discernment when consuming it. Narva's population represents a diverse palette of views, reflecting the complex information environment in the border city and its impact on the community.

As border guards, we interface daily with the local population, whose safety and well-being are an integral part of our work.

The region of Narva experienced turbulent moments when the situation in Ukraine prompted the Estonian government to issue a decision to remove Soviet monuments, including the region's iconic tank monument.

The tank of Narva was a monument commemorating the Red Army's conquest of the city in 1944 during World War II.

The government's decision gave rise to ambivalent feelings among the local Russian-speaking population, creating concern over rioting and a potential escalation of events.

Despite these concerns, the monuments were removed peacefully, with only nine local residents detained in the process.

Russia's Military Draft

As border guards, we face new challenges each day, requiring both a high level of professionalism and deep empathy.

Threat assessments regarding the green border were affected by the Russian Federation announcing a complementary military draft.

For us, news of a complementary draft meant a potential increase in illegal border crossings, and we had to be prepared to address these cases.

One such incident took place in September 2022 in the town of Narva-Jõesuu, where border guards caught a Russian citizen who had crossed the border at night at the mouth of the river, using a paddle board.

The man who had fled his home country for fear of being drafted was apprehended early morning at the local bus stop near the site of his border crossing. He was then taken to the Narva border crossing point for proceedings, where he was issued a misdemeanor penalty and escorted back to Russia.

I was in charge of drawing up his misdemeanor decision and handing him over to Russian border guards.

We met with the Russian border guards on a bridge called the Bridge of Friendship. We greeted each other politely, as per protocol, and the assistants to the border representatives proceeded to complete the paperwork required for the transfer.

For me, that meeting was the first of its kind and I felt slightly uncomfortable, especially after my counterpart border guard official had counseled me: "Don't be scared, come closer."

I was not scared, but the situation was unpleasant, especially after that remark.

Illegal Border Crossings—in Both Directions

Although cases of illegal border crossing are rare in our region and can be counted on the fingers of one hand, their numbers have still increased compared to the pre-war years.

A curious fact is that illegal border crossings from Estonia to Russia are also on the rise. These incidents mostly involve citizens of the European Union who seem to have a strong desire to enter Russia without proper documentation.

What draws them there remains a mystery, but these individuals often display some common traits: There is a certain mental instability in their demeanor and manner of speaking, and also a desire to evade punishment for a crime committed.

Russia's Migration Attacks

We experienced additional turbulence at the border because of events that unfolded late last year in Finland and eventually in Estonia as well—where the Narva border crossing point also suffered the effects of targeted migratory pressure from Russia.

As part of a so-called migration attack, migration flows were deliberately directed towards Schengen's external borders. The Schengen Agreement between 27 European countries allows free travel across borders inside the area, and Estonia is a signatory.

Estonia received its share in November 2023 when the first groups of migrants from the Middle East began arriving from the Russian Federation at the Narva border crossing point.

We responded by stepping up, both at the border crossing point and along the green border, our capabilities to counter Russia's attempts at organizing mass immigration.

The incidents of targeted migration that took place at the Estonian border were given a perplexing twist by articles published in the Russian media, where migrants sent back from the Narva border crossing point expressed hostility towards Estonian border guards and "sang the praises" of Russia's border guards for their "humanity".

The videos distributed in the Russian media were well choreographed and aimed at reinforcing the standard narrative of the excellence of Russian border guards in ensuring border security—yet another example of Russia's consistent media operations.

Today, border control is impacted by the Republic of Finland deciding to close its border crossing points, and also by the latest developments regarding reconstruction at the border crossing point of Ivangorod.

We are also still experiencing targeted migration flows reaching Estonia in the form of migratory pressure, which requires us to be more prepared and able to respond.

The situation has stabilized for now, but our preparedness and dedication to guarding the border remains solid without fail, as the future may bring new challenges, which will put new demands on us.

The Estonian border guard stands vigilant at the border, ensuring security both today and in the future—our border is solid, and we are prepared for anything that the adversary might daunt us with.

Kätlin Liiva is a group leader from Estonia's Narva border guard station.

All views expressed are the author's own.

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