The Estonian state has been asset-stripping freight cargo carrier Operail, investigative weekly Eesti Ekspress reports. Property belonging to the state-owned firm has been sold off, to the tune of tens of millions of euros, without the public being notified, the weekly adds. A major destination of assets leased or sold is the Russian Federation.
After nearly a year of test drives and administrative processes, Finnish Transport and Communication Agency Traficom granted permission for the first C30-MF locomotive built at the Estonian state-owned Operail's Tapa depot to operate on Finland's public railway.
State-owned freight company Operail posted losses of €1.6 million for the first half of 2022 due to loss of trade due to Russian sanctions. Last year, the company made a profit of €2.6 million during the first six months.
Estonian-based international railway logistics company Operail is looking to China and Central Asia to replace some of the transport options it has lost as a result of Russian sanctions. Nevertheless, prior volumes cannot be completely replaced, and Russia can decide to block shipments.
Right now, railways are connecting more than just people; tanks, fuel and ammunition are being transported by rail as well. ETV+ investigative program "Insight" looked into how the Estonian state-owned railway logistics company Operail is assisting Russian logistics and what risks on top of loss of reputation this may entail to Estonian taxpayers.