In Estonia, a coach from Pskov who asked for asylum there was imprisoned for five years. He was found guilty of working for the FSB

In Estonia, Mikhail Petrov, a Russian citizen, was convicted for cooperation with the FSB, who in June 2017 asked for political asylum there in connection with possible persecution by the Russian special services.

Petrov was sentenced to five years in prison. According to the Estonian authorities, he has cooperated with the FSB since the 1990s, passing data on “buildings, workers, vehicles and persons” to the agency that had contacts with the Estonian security police. According to Denis Kamalyagin, editor-in-chief of Pskov Gubernia, Petrov previously lived in Estonia.

The department told Delfi that they knew about Petrov's activities before he fled to Estonia. In their opinion, he sincerely asked for asylum, acting not in the interests of the Russian special services.

The verdict was handed down in October 2017, but it became known only now from the publication of the security police. In February 2018, it became known that Estonia denied Petrov asylum, but it was not reported that he was brought to trial.

• Mikhail Petrov is a famous martial arts coach in Pskov. He was also known as a participant in opposition actions. In June 2017, he fled to Estonia, claiming that the FSB was interested in him.
• Petrov linked the possible persecution to the fact that on June 22, together with his pupils, he painted the fence of the military unit with anti-war inscriptions, including calls for peace in Ukraine.
• The security police also announced the sentencing of Albert Provornikov, who had dual citizenship, for espionage, and the detention of an Estonian citizen, Ilya Tikhanovsky, suspected of working for the GRU.
• In February 2018, Estonia and Russia exchanged convicts for espionage.