Estonia to prosecute a dual national (Russian-Estonian) for treason for promoting Russian propaganda

Estonia has officially accused Svetlana Burtseva, a Russian journalist, a dual national with an Estonian passport, who has been working for years in the Kremlin’s propaganda interests, of violating sanctions and treason. This was reported by ERR. 

The State Prosecutor’s Office has charged Svetlana Burtseva, an Estonian national, with violating international sanctions and treason. The State Prosecutor’s Office held a preliminary court hearing in her case on August 6, following which they announced the commencement of the merits trial on November 1.

Burtseva acquired an Estonian passport in 1994 through naturalization. Since 2017, she has worked for various Estonian online publications for the Russian media group Rossiya Segodnya, known for supporting Putin’s regime and spreading pro-Kremlin propaganda worldwide.

Her texts were published by online news outlets serving Russian propaganda, even under pseudonyms. Even after the sanctions against Russia imposed by the EU Council, Burtseva continued to work for the real beneficiary of Rossiya Segodnya, Dmitry Kiselyov,” said State Prosecutor Eneli Laurits. 

Based on the evidence collected, the prosecutor’s office believes that Svetlana Burtseva deliberately violated the sanctions. 

“Based on the results of the pre-trial investigation, the Security Police concluded that Burtseva cannot be considered an independent, objective, and neutral journalist. The evidence demonstrates that Burtseva is a propagandist who worked for portals that serve the Kremlin’s aggressive goals. The investigation of her activities revealed, in addition to violating sanctions, a crime against the state,” Laurits said. 

Among other things, it turned out that in 2019-2021, Burtseva was studying for a master’s degree in Russian-occupied Sevastopol, in Crimea, at a program on information and hybrid conflicts, which is believed to be curated by a former FSB officer. 

After this training, Burtseva, together with her supervisor, published a book entitled “Hybrid War for Peace,” which analyzes how Russia should win such a global war. 

An Estonian political scientist, whose name turned out to be Burtseva’s pseudonym, advertised this book in Estonia. The prosecutor stated, “The content of the book humiliates the Republic of Estonia and aims to split Estonian society, discrediting Estonia and its institutions.”

Svetlana Burtseva faces charges of high treason for her non-violent actions against the Republic of Estonia’s independence.

Burtseva has been under arrest since March 1. The defense filed a motion to transfer her to house arrest with electronic surveillance, but the prosecutor’s office did not support it, believing that Burtseva would try to escape to Russia.