Russia declares Estonian Prime Minister, Kaja Kallas ‘wanted’

Russia declared Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas as “wanted” on criminal charges Tuesday in an unprecedented step against its Baltic neighbours.

It was not immediately clear why Kallas, who has led Estonia since 2021, was listed as “wanted”.

Relations between Moscow and EU member Estonia, which is home to a sizeable Russian minority, have remained tense since the end of the Cold War.

Russia has frequently chided Estonia for removing Soviet-era war monuments, which Tallinn sees as unwelcome symbols of its occupation under the USSR.

The Russian interior ministry’s database of wanted people showed Kallas as “wanted under the Criminal Code” without naming the charges, accompanied by a picture of the leader.

There was no immediate reaction from Estonia.

Earlier in February, Moscow summoned diplomats from its three Baltic neighbours after accusing them of trying to “sabotage” next month’s Russian presidential election.