MOSCOW, June 25 (RIA Novosti)
The Estonian government commissioned two studies into the operations of Russian foreign intelligence services from 1930s to the present day, local news website Rus.err.ee reported.
The two new studies will cost a combined 26,000 euro ($32,500) and be carried out by a think tank, Baltic Center for Russian Studies, which is set to complete them by mid-2013, Rus.err.ee said.
The study will be “retrospective” and based on open sources, but could still yield useful findings because some things, such as recruitment methods for new agents, stay unchanged for centuries, said the think tank’s director Vladimir Yushkin.
In April, the Estonian Security Police, known as Kapo, said in a report that Estonia, a NATO member, is becoming the target of increased activity by Russian intelligence agencies looking for information about the alliance’s plans.
The report followed the arrest in February of Kapo officer Alexei Dressen who was accused of trying to hand over classified information to Russia.
In 2009, Estonian Defense Ministry official Herman Simm was convicted of spying for Russia and sentenced to 12 1/2 years in prison.
