"Based on a pension insurance agreement between Estonia and Russia, the Estonian Social Insurance Board pays out Russian Federation pensions to people living in Estonia once it has received the financial instruments from the other side. For reasons beyond the board's control, resources for Q3 pension payments have not arrived from the Russian pension fund," Kati Kümnik, head of the board's benefits department, told ERR.

"Our information suggests Russia has attempted to make the payment twice but has not succeeded," Kümnik said, adding that she sees several ways to solve the problem.

"The first, of course, is that Russia will sort out the necessary sums for pension payments. Secondly, people can apply for the subsistence benefit if their income or that of their household drops below the subsistence line after housing expenses. Thirdly, if the person's Russian and Estonian pension add up to less than the national pension rate (€275.34), the difference between the two will be compensated," the board's representative said.

Data from the board suggests that 3,330 people or 83 percent of those who receive a Russian pension also receive one from Estonia. Their average pension is €519. People who only receive a pension from Russia number 677 or 17 percent. The average sum is €79.

In the third quarter, Russian pensions need to be paid to 4,061 people.

Estonia will not be assuming the pension obligation should Russia fail to make the payment.

Estonian pensioners in Russia paid

The Social Insurance Board has sent its Russian counterpart a list of Estonian pensioners living in Russia and the sums for their pensions. Estonian pensioners living in Russia received their pensions in time and Estonia has upheld its side of the agreement.

Ksenia Repson-Deforge, adviser at the board, told ERR that pension payments do not depend on citizenship but number of years spent working in the other country.

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