Event c28de7b0-c0e0-4db3-a9c0-aa590d9e611d

Approved event from Hybrid War Tracker

Status: Approved Confidence: High Classification: Political & Legal Subversion > Lawfare & Legal Pressure Country: Estonia Where: Land Tag: Roman Kolesnikov Tag: Russian Orthodox Church Tag: Estonian Orthodox Christian Church Tag: Estonia Tag: Ministry of Interior Tag: security ban Tag: Russian intelligence services Tag: Russkiy Mir Tag: constitutional security Tag: religious figures ban Tag: 2026 Aggressor Defense Confidence: High

Source: https://news.err.ee/1609899644/russian-orthodox-priest-banne ...

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Event Time

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Created

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Updated

Summary

Headline: Russian Orthodox priest banned from entering Estonia on security grounds

Short Summary: Russian Orthodox priest Roman Kolesnikov banned from entering Estonia in January 2026 over security concerns.

Extended Summary: On January 2, 2026, Estonia announced a security-related ban preventing Roman Kolesnikov, a priest of the Russian Orthodox Church who began service in Estonia's Orthodox Christian Church in fall 2025, from entering the country. The Ministry of Interior imposed the ban due to fears that Kolesnikov could threaten Estonia’s constitutional security, citing his alleged connections to Russian security services and his support for Russia's aggressive policies. This marks the first time a clergyman has been banned from Estonia on such grounds in 2026. The Estonian Orthodox Christian Church, formerly part of the Moscow Patriarchate, has not made an official comment on the matter. The ministry stressed the use of structures of the Russian Orthodox Church by Russia for intelligence activities to justify the ban.

Description

Roman Kolesnikov, a priest of the Russian Orthodox Church who began serving in the Estonian Orthodox Christian Church in fall 2025, has been banned from entering Estonia on security grounds. The ban was imposed by the Estonian Ministry of Interior in early January 2026 due to potential threats posed to Estonia’s constitutional security. The ministry cited concerns about Kolesnikov’s ties to Russian security agencies and aggressive foreign policy support as reasons. The Estonian Orthodox Christian Church has not yet provided a substantive comment on the ban. Kolesnikov is the first clergyman to be barred from entering Estonia on security grounds this year.

Event Classification

Aggressor Event Defense Preparation Event

Rationale

Classified as aggressor because the event involves a Russian Orthodox priest linked to Russian intelligence and aggressive foreign policy, representing hostile hybrid activity. Classified as defense because Estonia imposed a ban to protect constitutional security, a clear defensive/preparatory measure by an allied state.

Evidence

Quotes

Roman Kolesnikov, a priest of the Russian Orthodox Church, who began serving in the Estonian Orthodox Christian Church in the fall of 2025, has been banned from entering Estonia. (ERR)

The decision to ban Kolesnikov from entering Estonia was made by the Ministry of Interior in early January 2026, according to a report by the Russian-language service of Russian news outlet TASS.

The ministry said Kolesnikov can be linked to the potential threat posed to Estonia's constitutional security. Kolesnikov has ties to Estonian internal security departments’ counterintelligence divisions, supports Russia's aggressive foreign policy, and the ideology of the Russian world," TASS said in a report.

The ministry emphasized that the structures of the Russian Orthodox Church are systematically used by Russian intelligence services to undermine the security of other states.

Source

https://news.err.ee/1609899644/russian-orthodox-priest-banned-from-entering-estonia-on-security-grounds