Vyacheslav Efimov, a dual citizen of Estonia and Russia, worked as a security guard at the Koidula border crossing for several years while secretly passing sensitive information to the Russian FSB. Recruited in 2022 by FSB officer Nikolai Tarasov, Efimov disclosed detailed reports on border checkpoint operations, personnel movements, staff sentiments towards Russia's war in Ukraine, and observations from the Russian side. Although Efimov did not have access to classified data and received no compensation or coercion, the cumulative information allowed Russian intelligence to assess vulnerabilities in Estonia’s border defenses and identify personnel for recruitment. Additionally, Efimov was implicated in a bribery scheme allowing trucks to bypass queues, for which he received a reduced sentence. The Tartu County Court sentenced him to three years in prison for espionage. This case highlights ongoing Russian hybrid tactics in the Baltic region aimed at undermining border security through human intelligence and corruption. Latvian counterintelligence has also disrupted a related Russian informant network in the Baltics. The incident underscores the persistent espionage and subversion threats faced by Baltic states in the context of Russia's aggression.

Vyacheslav Efimov, a dual citizen of Estonia and Russia, worked as a security guard at the Koidula border crossing for several years while secretly passing sensitive information to the Russian FSB. Recruited in 2022 by FSB officer Nikolai Tarasov, Efimov disclosed detailed reports on border checkpoint operations, personnel movements, staff sentiments towards Russia's war in Ukraine, and observations from the Russian side. Although Efimov did not have access to classified data and received no compensation or coercion, the cumulative information allowed Russian intelligence to assess vulnerabilities in Estonia’s border defenses and identify personnel for recruitment. Additionally, Efimov was implicated in a bribery scheme allowing trucks to bypass queues, for which he received a reduced sentence. The Tartu County Court sentenced him to three years in prison for espionage. This case highlights ongoing Russian hybrid tactics in the Baltic region aimed at undermining border security through human intelligence and corruption. Latvian counterintelligence has also disrupted a related Russian informant network in the Baltics. The incident underscores the persistent espionage and subversion threats faced by Baltic states in the context of Russia's aggression.