Estonia has taken a decisive step in a growing European security initiative, formally denying entry to hundreds of Russians who participated in the invasion of Ukraine. The Baltic nation, which shares a border with Russia, announced it has banned 261 individuals with combat experience in Ukraine from entering its territory.
A Firm Stance Against Veteran Entry
Markus Tsahkna, Estonia's Foreign Minister, declared that this action is "only the beginning," and issued a call for other nations to follow suit. "We call on other countries to do the same," he stated. The Estonian government is advocating for a continent-wide visa ban on Russian veterans of the conflict, a policy that has already garnered backing from neighbouring Baltic and Nordic states.
The threat is considered tangible. Interior Minister Igor Taro emphasised that the danger posed is "not theoretical," noting that these individuals possess "combat experience and military training, and may often have a criminal background." Estonia's interior ministry estimates that up to 1.5 million Russians have been involved in the invasion, with roughly half serving on the front lines. The ministry asserted that those who committed atrocities in Ukraine have "no place in the free world."
Ukraine's Foreign Minister, Andrij Sybiga, praised the Estonian decision, labelling such entry bans a "necessary security measure" and "a clear signal that impunity will not be tolerated."
Escalation on the Battlefield: Drone Plant and Tankers Hit
As diplomatic measures intensify, military actions continue to escalate. Ukrainian forces struck a significant target within Russia: a drone manufacturing plant in Taganrog, located in the western Rostov region. The governor declared a local state of emergency after two enterprises were hit.
The facility, identified by reports as the Atlant Aero plant, produces Russia's Molniya strike and surveillance drones, along with components for Orion drones. Widely circulated video and photographs showed buildings engulfed in massive fires.
In a separate maritime incident, two Greek-owned oil tankers were attacked in the Black Sea on Tuesday. The Maltese-flagged Matilda and Liberian-flagged Delta Harmony sustained no major damage and there were no injuries, according to Greek authorities. Notably, the Matilda was en route to load Kazakh oil at the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) terminal near Novorossiysk, a site previously targeted by Ukraine to disrupt Russian oil revenue.
Relentless Assaults Leave Ukrainian Cities in the Dark and Cold
Russia launched one of its largest aerial assaults of the new year overnight into Tuesday, targeting cities across Ukraine. The barrage killed at least four people and caused widespread damage to energy infrastructure, plunging millions into dangerous winter conditions without heat or power.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported that the attack involved nearly 300 drones, 18 ballistic missiles, and seven cruise missiles, impacting eight Ukrainian regions. Emergency power cuts were enforced in the capital, Kyiv, and the Chernihiv, Odesa, Kharkiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Donetsk regions. Kyiv residents, still recovering from a major strike the previous week, faced some of their darkest and coldest days yet.
The coordinated Estonian entry ban and the continued fierce fighting underscore the multi-front nature of the conflict, where border security policies and battlefield strikes are deeply intertwined in the ongoing struggle.
