Russian academic quits Estonian university after espionage arrest

A Russian professor at Estonia’s University of Tartu has been arrested on espionage charges, prompting the institution to announce the termination of his contract while “unequivocally denounc[ing] any action that could endanger the security of [the] country”.

Viacheslav Morozov, a professor of international political theory, was arrested by the Estonian Internal Security Service (ISS) on 3 January, the public broadcaster ERR reported, although his detention was only made public almost two weeks later. He will be held in custody for two months, the public prosecutor Triinu Olev told the broadcaster.  

Speaking to ERR, the ISS director general Margo Palloson said Professor Morozov was suspected of passing information to Russian intelligence services while travelling to Russia with a “measure of regularity”.

“The aggressor’s intelligence interest in Estonia remains considerable,” Mr Palloson said. “This recent case follows a few dozen others and illustrates Russian intelligence agencies’ desire to infiltrate different walks of life in Estonia, including academia.”

In a statement shared online, the University of Tartu said Professor Morozov’s employment contract had been terminated at his request on 11 January.

Rector Toomas Asser addressed “members of the university family” in a subsequent statement, saying: “It is…deplorable that a person who is now suspected of undermining the security of our state worked for years at the university – an academic community whose moral responsibility it is to stand up for peace and academic and democratic values.

“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.”

On social media, academics have reacted with shock, with some criticising the University of Tartu for ending its relationship with Professor Morozov before he was tried in court.

Ilya Matveev, a political scientist and visiting scholar at the University of California, Berkeley, wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter: “Morozov is an established and well-known scholar. I know him personally. This is extremely concerning.”

Sam Greene, professor at the Russia Institute at King’s College London and director of democratic resilience at the Center for European Policy Analysis, said: “The arrest on espionage charges in Estonia of Vyacheslav Morozov – whom I have known and worked with for years – is shocking, as is his summary dismissal from Tartu University. The authorities will make their case, but Slava remains innocent until proven guilty.”

Kristiina Tõnnisson, head of the Skytte Institute, told Times Higher Education that it was “crucial to emphasise” that Professor Morozov’s contact had been “terminated at his own request”.

“I can understand the shock and disappointment of fellow academics – he was highly valued as a colleague and as a researcher. It is disturbing and upsetting to discover he is suspected of such acts, but the University of Tartu has no reason to question the decisions of the Estonian Internal Security Service,” she said.

“I find it very important to stress that Estonians’ sense of national security and awareness of the neighbouring aggressor state is certainly different than people may have in many other countries not located next to Russia. We cannot and must not underestimate the threat.”

emily.dixon@timeshighereducation.com