The spread of disinformation in Estonia has increased considerably since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February, and the new web constables to join the force this year have had their hands full, police admit. One of the main goals of this disinformation is to spark conflict involving those from Ukraine who have arrived in Estonia.
Over the past three months alone, residents of Estonia have been scammed out of more than €1.2 million. Investment scams continue to proliferate, and the ongoing war in Ukraine has not seen a significant reduction in the volume of Russian-language phone scams being conducted either.
Fines of up to €1,200 can and have been issued to the creators of online videos or other posts on social media which constitute incitement to hatred in relation to Russia's war on Ukraine, Police and Border Guard Board (PPA) Captain Maarja Punak says.
Several police officers were threatened and insulted during the protests, which took place on Tuesday after the Health Board ordered a Tallinn cafe to be closed. The Police and Border Guard Board (PPA) contacted six people, but did not identify a direct threat.