Morozov was found guilty of activities against the Republic of Estonia in the interests and on behalf of a foreign intelligence service.

"Russia's special services tasked Morozov with collecting information about the Republic of Estonia's internal, defense and security policies, as well as the people and infrastructure connected to these fields in Estonia," said State Prosecutor Triinu Olev in a statement.

According to the indictment, Morozov gathered information about Estonia's internal, defense and security policy, as well as people and infrastructure related to it. He also conveyed information about Estonia's political situation, allied relations, integration and social cohesion.

At a press conference, Internal Security Service (ISS) Director General Margo Palloson said Morozov had passed information to the GRU. He was recruited while he was a student at St Petersburg State University in the 1990s and was trained at a military faculty.

Palloson said Morozov's agent status lasted for around 30 years but was frozen during his time in Russia. His active service began at the beginning of 2010, when he moved to Estonia and applied to become a lecturer at the University of Tartu.

Palloson added that applying to become a lecturer was Morozov's own choice, but that when he was selected, he informed his handlers. Palloson said Morozov was coached, trained and mentored very thoroughly to ensure that his operational security measures were at a high level.

He cooperated with the GRU but was not a staff officer. He acted alone while in Estonia, Palloson said.

The University of Tartu was not his main target, but a platform that gave him status and access to conferences, working groups, and people. The information he gathered at seminars, conferences and colleagues was mainly passed on during visits to Russia. Much of the transmitted information was publicly available.

Morozov did not have access to state secrets, but he collected and passed on information about Estonian residents, which the Russian security services could use to recruit the next targets.

He also wrote reviews and analyses of Estonia's security and its vulnerabilities, Pallonson said. His training as a researcher helped with this, and he was instructed about what to include.

Morozov was not motivated by money, but he received small amounts for the information he passed on, said State Prosecutor Taavi Pern.

Palloson said his motivation was influenced by his Russian citizenship, and that he was a patriot at the time of his recruitment, although he does not agree with everything Russia is doing now, and the romanticism of intelligence.

"Russian agents always hide their real sympathies. They don't show what they really think, they have to behave in a way that fits the environment and is attractive in that environment," Palloson told the media.

Both Palloson and Pern said Morozov's activities did not interfere with his academic work and the research he carried out and supervised is still relevant today. 

"Morozov's case shows that sooner or later we will get to the most conspiratorial agent. We advise those working for the Russian special services to contact us themselves," Palloson said in a statement.

The ISS director appealed to Estonians not to visit Russia or study at Russian universities. He said people can be recruited with a long-term perspective.

"Russia poses the greatest threat to Estonia's security. The purpose of the country is to demolish and restructure European security architecture and rule-based world order, and restore its imperial dream. This is what it is doing in Ukraine today," the ISS said.

Kohus tunnistas Viacheslav Morozovi süüdi Eesti vastases tegevuses, koostöös GRU operatiiv-agentuurluurega. Neil, kes juba värvatud, oleks targem ise kapoga ühendust võtta enne kui kapo nendeni jõuab. https://t.co/Ff2rPtXe3t pic.twitter.com/4bLmrBYF25

— Kaitsepolitseiamet (@kaitsepolitsei) June 18, 2024

Morozov was arrested on January 3, 2024 and the time spent in pre-trial detention will count as part of his sentence.

Palloson told ERR in January that Morozov shared information with the Russian special services. These meetings had "a measure of regularity," he said at the time.

Palloson said universities are viewed as targets because they have access to data that can help Russian special services better target Estonian society, and about people and institutions.

Morozov is a Russian citizen. He had ties to St Petersburg State University until 2010 and has been associated with the University of Tartu since then.

He worked as a professor of EU-Russia studies 2016-2023 and as a professor of international political theory from January 1, 2023 until January 2024. Morozov voluntarily resigned from his position on January 11 after his arrest.

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