Authorities in Estonia have arrested a Russian professor on espionage charges in a case that his university said shows Russia’s intent to “orchestrate anti-democratic action” in the Baltic country. But some fellow academics have condemned the university for summarily cutting ties with him before a trial was held.
Viacheslav Morozov, a professor of international political theory at the University of Tartu was detained on 3 January by Estonia’s internal security service (ISS), public broadcaster ERR said. The arrest was only revealed on Tuesday.
Margo Palloson, the director general of the ISS, told the public broadcaster that Morozov had shared information with Russian intelligence services when he travelled back to the country with “a measure of regularity”.
Palloson did not say what information Morozov had shared, but warned Estonians against travelling to Russia because of pressure from the security services.
A veteran professor who had previously taught Russian-EU studies at the university, Morozov was well known for his research into Russian political identity and foreign policy. He had condemned the Russian invasion of Ukraine but had called on others not to “burn bridges” with Russians opposed to the invasion.
Kristiina Tõnnisson, head of the university’s political studies department, said: “Understandably, this comes as a shock to all of us. Our trust has been seriously abused. We confirm that we have had no grounds to question Viacheslav Morozov’s earlier work, but in the light of new knowledge, it is important to critically review it.” She claimed that the university had accepted Morozov’s resignation on 11 January, eight days after he was detained by police.
Estonia has repeatedly warned of the Kremlin’s intentions to return the Baltic states to its orbit, saying that Russian intelligence is targeting the country to weaken its resolve and support for Ukraine. At the same time, members of the country’s large ethnic Russian population have complained they have been caricatured as a “fifth column” and suspected for their connections to Russia.
Tartu University, the country’s leading academic institution, quickly sought to cut ties with the accused professor. The university rector, Toomas Asser, said he “unequivocally denounced any action that could endanger the security of our country” and that Morozov’s employment had been terminated.
“It is impossible to measure the full extent of the potential damage, but it is absolutely clear that it affects the state, the university, people’s spirit at work and interpersonal relations,” he said, without submitting evidence or discussing the accusations against Morozov.
Morozov, who had previously worked at the St Petersburg State University, was well known among academics focused on Russia, and was affiliated with US universities and international academic associations dedicated to studies of the country. News of the arrest prompted surprise and shock on social media among those who had worked alongside Morozov for years or decades.
“Nobody would foresee that Morozov was arrested,” said Ivan Kurilla, a professor of history and international relations at European University, St. Petersburg. “It was a big shock for everyone.”
Many colleagues felt that the university had not done enough to stand up for its professor and had accepted the accusations at face value, he added.
The University of Tartu did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the case.
Morozov had publicly condemned the war after it began, writing on Facebook: “There is no [justification] for Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. My heart is with the people of Ukraine, and it is full of pain. The war must be stopped now. EU residents must be prepared to pay a serious price for that; we cannot continue with our cosy burgher lives as if nothing has happened.”
At the same time, he called for attempts to reach out to Russians opposed to the war.
“I also call on everyone not to burn bridges unless there is absolutely no other choice,” he wrote. “I see no way out of this terrible mess other than by winning the hearts and minds of those who are disoriented and deceived – for now. And I most sincerely hope that those fighting for peace in Russia will not end up caught in the crossfire.”
