Estonian police arrested a Russian professor who taught at the University of Tartu, the most prestigious institution of higher education in the Baltic state, on suspicion of spying for Moscow, authorities revealed on Tuesday.
Estonia's Internal Security Service (ISS) has revealed that it has opened an investigation into Vyacheslav Morozov, a Russian citizen and professor of international politics at the University of Tartu, for his alleged involvement in espionage activities aimed at undermining the national security of the Baltic country.
The Security Service and prosecutors said in a joint statement that the authorities have not provided further details about Morozov's activities, while investigations are continuing.
“The current case adds to more than two dozen previous cases, and demonstrates the desire of the Russian intelligence services to infiltrate various areas of Estonian life, including the scientific sector,” Margo Palusson, Director General of the International Space Station, was quoted as saying in a press release.
Palusson stressed that “Russian intelligence interest in Estonia remains high.”
The Estonian court stressed that it had issued an arrest warrant for Morozov, who has been in pretrial detention since January 3, to prevent him from evading criminal proceedings and continuing to “commit crimes in general.”
Political relations between Russia and neighboring Estonia, a country of 1.3 million people and a member of the European Union and NATO, have been “frozen” since 1991, when the small Baltic country regained its independence from the former Soviet Union.
Director General of the Internal Security Service and Prosecutor General, Trino Oliv, on Tuesday highlighted to local media that Morozov was recruited as a spy by Russian intelligence several years ago, and was even on its payroll.
Palusson told Estonian public broadcaster ERR that Morozov had meetings in his home country with members of Russian intelligence “with some regularity.”
The University of Tartu is the oldest and largest in Estonia, founded in 1632.
Morozov has been associated with the university since 2010, where he worked as a professor of European Union and Russian studies between 2016-2023 and a professor of international political theory until his arrest.
The university, which is located in the second largest city in Estonia, announced on Tuesday that it had terminated its contract with the Russian professor.
According to information contained on his page on the social networking site Facebook, Morozov is a political scientist and former professor at Saint Petersburg State University, one of the famous academic institutions in Russia.
“Hardcore alcohol maven. Hipster-friendly analyst. Introvert. Devoted social media advocate.”
