EditEstonia bans entry to first batch of 261 Russian combatants, urges EU-wide action
Tallinn says the move is only the first step, as Baltic states push for tougher restrictions on Russian mobility within the Schengen area
Estonia has imposed an entry ban on 261 individuals who took part in the war against Ukraine on the side of the Russian Federation, sending a strong political signal that former combatants from an aggressor state have no place in the country or in the wider Schengen area.
The decision was announced by Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna, who wrote on X that the ban targets combatants involved in Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine.
Estonia 🇪🇪 imposed entry bans on the first 261 of Russian combatants who took part in the war of aggression against Ukraine 🇺🇦 – and this is only the beginning.
Hundreds of thousands of fighters from the aggressor state have been involved in this brutal war, committing…
— Margus Tsahkna (@Tsahkna) January 12, 2026
“This is only the beginning,” he said, arguing that hundreds of thousands of fighters from Russia had participated in what he described as a brutal war marked by atrocities and violence. “They have no place in Estonia and the Schengen area,” Tsahkna added.
According to the foreign minister, Estonia will continue working to ensure that “doors stay closed to Russian ex-combatants” and will press other countries to adopt similar restrictions. The move reflects Tallinn’s long-standing position that mobility within the EU should not be extended to individuals linked to Russia’s war effort.
The entry ban is a novelty specifically targeting Russian war participants since the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. While Estonia has previously restricted access to individual figures seen as supporting Moscow’s aggression, the latest decision significantly broadens the scope of those affected.
The Estonian move fits into a wider pattern of increasingly restrictive policies adopted by Baltic states towards Russian nationals. In October, Estonia imposed a short-term entry ban on Latvian pro-Russian politician Aleksia Roslikov. Lithuania has also banned entry to Russian rapper Alisher Morgenstern, according to earlier reports.
Latvia has taken parallel steps. In late December, Latvian Foreign Minister Baiba Braže announced an entry ban on 14 Russian athletes ahead of a luge competition scheduled to take place in the city of Sigulda. Writing on X, Braže said athletes from the aggressor country were not welcome in Latvia.
She noted that the ban was imposed for an indefinite period and adopted under Part 2 of Article 61 of Latvia’s Immigration Act. While limited in scope, the decision was presented as part of Latvia’s broader political stance following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Beyond national measures, the Estonian decision comes as the European Commission prepares additional restrictions on the issuance of Schengen visas to Russian citizens. The Commission has confirmed that discussions with member states are ongoing, though details of the planned measures have not been made public.
Commission spokesperson Markus Lammert told reporters in Brussels in November that “additional measures” were under consideration, declining to provide specifics and urging journalists to “stay tuned for updates.”
According to Politico, citing three EU officials then, the plans under discussion include limiting Russian citizens to single-entry Schengen visas, effectively ending the common practice of issuing multi-entry permits. Exceptions would still apply in humanitarian cases or for individuals holding dual EU nationality.
The debate has exposed divisions among member states. While countries such as Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland have pushed for a tougher line on Russian mobility, others remain more reluctant. Hungary is continuing to issue national residence cards to Russian applicants, a practice that has raised concerns in Brussels over potential loopholes.
Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the EU has steadily dismantled arrangements that previously facilitated Russian travel to the bloc. The Visa Facilitation Agreement with Moscow was suspended shortly after the invasion, making the Schengen visa process slower, more expensive and more restrictive.
According to Commission figures, the number of Schengen visas issued to Russian citizens fell from more than four million in 2019 to around half a million in 2023, with data for 2024 showing a modest rebound.
Despite this trend, several EU countries, including France, Spain, Italy and Hungary, have maintained relatively liberal visa policies, particularly for tourists.
Visa restrictions have also been paired with measures targeting the tourism sector. Under the EU’s latest sanctions package, adopted in late October, EU-based operators are prohibited from offering or promoting tourist services in Russia, although EU citizens are not banned from travelling there individually.
Russians to face more and more restrictions to visit the Schengen countries
Caption: Estonia’s Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna (R) and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha (L) attend a ceremony honoring the memory of the fallen defenders of Ukraine in the Russian-Ukrainian war at a makeshift memorial to fallen Ukrainian servicemen and international volunteers on Independence Square in Kyiv, Ukraine, 27 October 2025. Tsahkna arrived in Kyiv to meet with top Ukrainian officials amid the ongoing Russian invasion. EPA/SERGEY DOLZHENKO
Updated: January 12, 2026 - 18:05
