In a recent incident, Russian border guards removed 25 out of the 50 buoys installed by Estonia on the Narva River, prompting strong condemnation from the European Union (EU). European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell called the action "unacceptable" and demanded an immediate explanation from Moscow, as well as the return of the orange floating devices.

The buoys had been installed by Estonia to prevent boats from inadvertently crossing the border between the two countries. However, the removal of these buoys by Russian counterparts is seen as a part of a broader pattern of provocative behavior and hybrid actions by Russia, according to Borrell.

The Estonian Foreign Ministry also expressed its displeasure with the incident, describing it as a "provocative border incident." Nevertheless, Estonia emphasized that its response would remain calm and clear-eyed.

The installation of buoys on the Narva River has been an ongoing practice for several decades, with mutual agreement between Estonia and Russia. The towns of Narva on the Estonian side and Ivangorod on the Russian bank have cooperated in marking shipping routes. The buoys were regularly checked and adjusted due to changes in the riverbed.

However, tensions arose when Russia disagreed with Estonia's positions regarding the location of the buoys for 2023. As a result, 25 buoys were removed by the Russian counterparts just 10 days after their installation.

The Estonian Foreign Ministry deemed the action to be part of Russia's broader pattern of provocative behavior. This incident draws parallels to recent border mapping incidents in the Baltic Sea. Media reports suggest that Russia considers revising the borders of its territorial waters in the region. A draft proposal aimed at updating the coordinates used to measure the strip of territorial waters disappeared from a Russian government website shortly after being published.

The Russian Defense Ministry clarified that the proposal was not intended to be political, emphasizing that there were no plans to revise the border or the width of Russia's territorial waters. However, the existing coordinates, approved in 1985, were deemed outdated by the ministry, as they did not correspond to the modern geographical situation.

The increased military presence in the region, prompted by Russia's invasion of Ukraine last year, has led to Finland and Sweden joining NATO. This move effectively surrounds the Baltic Sea, which serves as Russia's maritime point of access to the city of St. Petersburg and its Kaliningrad enclave, with NATO members.

The EU's strong response to the removal of the Estonian buoys highlights the growing tension between the bloc and Russia. The EU's demand for an explanation and the immediate return of the buoys underscores the importance of upholding international agreements and maintaining stability in the region.