Estonia said on Tuesday that it has barred 261 Russian nationals who fought in Ukraine from entering the country, pledging that this was “only the beginning.”
In a statement, the Ministry of the Interior said that those who had committed atrocities in Ukraine “have no place in the free world.”
Estonia, which shares a border with Russia, has for months supported a Europe-wide visa ban on Russian war veterans from Ukraine and has gained backing from Baltic and Nordic countries.
The ministry estimates that up to 1.5 million Russians have taken part in the full-scale invasion, with around half of them having served on the front line.
Interior Minister Igor Taro said the threat posed was not “theoretical,” adding that such individuals have “combat experience and military training and may often have a criminal background.”
According to the ministry, the ban officially came into force last week and was announced by officials on social media on Monday.
