A video released by Russia’s Federal Security Service (FDD) showing the Estonian consul in St. Petersburg, Mart Lete, who is allegedly interested in Russia’s plans in the Arctic, is a masterful fabrication, the Estonian Foreign Ministry said.
“The film, which shows Mart Lete, is a masterful fabrication, which undoubtedly does not show the diplomat’s work objectively, instead the events are shown as the director wanted,” the Estonian Foreign Ministry told the Postimees newspaper.
It has already been reported that the FDD announced that Martul Lete, the Estonian consul expelled from Russia in St. Petersburg last month, was interested in Russia’s plans in the Arctic.
“It has been established that the Estonian diplomat has met several times with a (..) Russian citizen. During the meeting, he has shown interest in receiving information about Russia’s plans in the Arctic through him,” the FDD Public Relations Center said.
The FDD has also released part of a video showing a meeting of an Estonian diplomat with a Russian citizen, during which the interlocutors discuss receiving information “about Arctic policy”.
The FDD noted that this information is being published in connection with the decision announced by the Russian Foreign Ministry on Tuesday to expel a diplomat from the Estonian embassy.
It has already been reported that the Russian Foreign Ministry announced on Tuesday that Russia is expelling an Estonian diplomat, who must leave Estonia within a week.
“Estonian Ambassador to Russia Margus Laidre has been summoned to the Russian Foreign Ministry. He has been strongly protested and a note has been issued stating that, on a reciprocal basis, territory, “said a statement from the Russian Foreign Ministry.
It states that on July 7, Russia declared Marta Leti, Consul of the Estonian Consulate General in St. Petersburg, “persona non grata” “in connection with activities incompatible with diplomatic status”.
Moscow accused Leti of spying, while Tallinn rejected these allegations.
“He was detained with physical evidence during the espionage operation. The Estonian side was warned that if Tallinn further escalates the situation regarding this episode, it will lead to the inevitable response,” the statement said.
“However, our appeals were not heeded and on 15 July the Estonian Foreign Ministry declared him a” persona non grata “employee of the Russian Embassy in Estonia,” the Russian Foreign Ministry added.
“We urge our Estonian partners to stop, not to exacerbate the situation they have already exacerbated. Otherwise, a new strong response from the Russian Foreign Ministry will follow,” the statement said.
On July 7, Russia expelled Marti Leti, the Estonian consul in St. Petersburg, who Moscow accuses of espionage. The day before, Leti was briefly detained by FDD.
On July 7, the Estonian Foreign Ministry called Lete’s detention a provocation.
“Marta Leti was detained after a working meeting at the St. Petersburg State Polytechnic Institute. She was detained for an hour and a half,” said Āri Lemmika, a representative of the Estonian Foreign Ministry.
“What the FDD has done is staging, the accusations are unfounded. This is another example of Russia’s lack of interest in friendly relations with its neighbors.”
On July 15, in response to the expulsion of Lete, Estonia announced the expulsion of a diplomat from the Russian Embassy in Tallinn.
The usual practice in world diplomacy is to reply to the expulsion of a diplomat with the same.
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