{"text":[[{"start":8,"text":"Russia was responsible for an arson attack on an Estonian defence robotics company last month, according to the Baltic country’s intelligence services."}],[{"start":16.56,"text":"Margus Tsahkna, Estonia’s foreign minister, told the FT that it was essential for Nato members to attribute what he called “terror attacks” to Russia to deter Moscow from stepping up its campaign of sabotage and arson aimed at dividing the alliance and stemming members’ support for Ukraine."}],[{"start":34.48,"text":"“Russia is boiling western democracies like a frog — turning on the heat step by step, and testing our responses. Our main goal is to show [Vladimir] Putin that we attribute, we react, and we prepare for any kind of provocations,” he added."}],[{"start":49.2,"text":"A fire broke out at a site used by Milrem Robotics, a defence contractor, in the Estonian capital Tallinn on August 15. Three suspects were subsequently arrested in Latvia and deported to Estonia."}],[{"start":63.895,"text":"Estonia’s domestic intelligence agency Kapo said on Tuesday that it was “a deliberate and pre-planned act commissioned by Russian security services”. Prime Minister Kristen Michal called the attack “absolutely unacceptable and irresponsible”."}],[{"start":78.48,"text":"Nato governments and intelligence services have been warning in recent weeks of Russia becoming increasingly desperate in hybrid attacks including cyber warfare, sabotage and arson."}],[{"start":89.92,"text":"Denmark’s intelligence forces last week warned that Russia could even attempt a limited military attack on a Nato country in the coming months."}],[{"start":97.76,"text":"Tsahkna said Estonia and other frontline Nato countries had no evidence that Russia was preparing a traditional military attack on them, sufficient to trigger the military alliance’s collective defence clause, article 5."}],[{"start":111.332,"text":"But he said that sub-article 5 attacks, such as a foiled drone bombing of an aircraft at Leipzig in Germany or fighter jet incursions into Nato airspace, were designed to undermine the alliance’s unity."}],[{"start":124.56,"text":"Nato has successfully deterred Russia’s provocations by air and sea after a series of cable-cutting incidents and aircraft incursions in the Baltic Sea area, Tsahkna said."}],[{"start":131.409,"text":"Nato members needed to “keep the red lines in our rhetoric, narratives and responses” as Putin is “watching what we do”, he said. “So our goal is to not let Putin miscalculate like he did in Ukraine in 2022 and go further.”"}],[{"start":145.92,"text":"But Nato members have found it harder to deal with land-based attacks, including those against defence companies and civilian infrastructure due to the sheer number of targets."}],[{"start":155.036,"text":"Tsahkna said western countries had a well-established playbook for dealing with terrorism and should use it against these Russian attacks, including prosecuting and naming any agents involved."}],[{"start":165.259,"text":"Estonia received strong support from its neighbours over the Milrem attribution."}],[{"start":169.985,"text":"Ulf Kristersson, Sweden’s acting prime minister, said the Milrem attack was “extremely serious”. He added: “This pattern of attacks is directed against Europe as a whole. The aim is to weaken our support for Ukraine and to intimidate us. It will not work.”"}],[{"start":188.32,"text":""}]],"url":"https://audio.ftcn.net.cn/album/a_1790682563_3472.mp3"}