Pro-Kremlin Propagandist Besedin Detained in Estonia

The Estonian Security Police Board (KaPo) has detained pro-Kremlin blogger Oleg Besedin on suspicion of nonviolent activities against the Republic of Estonia and violating international sanctions.

The Estonian State Prosecutor’s Office notified this to Postimees. According to the statement, Oleg Besedin has been involved in Russia’s information influence since at least 2022, working with individuals acting on behalf of Russian secret services.

“We have previously identified security risks linked with Besedin’s activity in our annual reports and public announcements,” Taavi Narits, Deputy Director General of the Security Police Department, stated, adding that there are reasons to suspect Besedin of committing a state crime.

“With the help of the Kremlin’s information influence, in which Besedin is suspected of participating, attempts were made to create opportunities for Russia to interfere in the internal affairs of the Republic of Estonia,” Taavi Narits stated.

Estonian authorities suspect Oleg Besedin of routinely disseminating sanctioned content from Russian media networks, among other things. This constitutes a violation of European Union sanctions.

“In Estonia, nonviolent actions against the Republic of Estonia that endanger our independence, sovereignty, or territorial integrity are punishable as a state crime. Active, targeted involvement in Russian influence operations is likewise punishable. According to the suspicion, Oleg Besedin’s acts went beyond constitutionally protected speech and became targeted conduct in the interests of a state hostile to Estonia,” stated Chief Public Prosecutor Taavi Pern.

Oleg Ivanov, a former board member of the pro-Kremlin party Koos, was among the first to announce the arrest of the well-known blogger and propagandist, administrator of the Tallinners group, Oleg Besedin, on the evening of November 4.

In a video message on his Facebook page, Ivanov, who fled to Russia in 2024, said he had “extremely unpleasant news”: “The news is as follows: Today at 11 a.m., thugs broke into the studio of Oleg Besedin, my colleague on the YouTube channel and my friend.”

Ivanov stated that there were twenty employees in the Security Police Department. “They conducted a search all day, allegedly finding something,” Ivanov claimed.

According to him, Besedin was carried away at 7 p.m. “We don’t know Oleg’s fate at this point,” stated Koos’ former co-founder. Yesterday, the Russian-language Facebook group “Tallinners,” which Besedin manages, was blocked. His YouTube channel is no longer listed in search results.

Oleg Ivanov argued that these were the final outlets in Estonia that allowed people to express themselves, including those whose viewpoints he and Besedin disagreed with. In fact, people who watched Besedin and Ivanov’s actions observed that there were no opposing viewpoints on their channels.

Oleg Ivanov is currently wanted internationally. Estonia put him on the wanted list for alleged bitcoin fraud, not because he was openly pro-Kremlin.

Two years ago, the Estonian Security Police arrested Allan Huntsom, a member of the pro-Kremlin Koos party, on suspicion of espionage against the country.