The Office of the Prosecutor General of Estonia alleges that the accused, Svetlana Burceva, committed treason by engaging in non-violent actions counter to Estonia's independence and sovereignty, primarily through her alleged involvement in Russia's propaganda efforts.

Since 2017, Burceva, an Estonian citizen by naturalization since 1994, reportedly worked for Russian media group Rossiya Segodnya (Russia Today, or RT), creating content for Estonian platforms and covering events, allegedly continuing despite knowing its illegality after Sputnik Estonia closed in 2019 due to sanctions.

Public prosecutor Eneli Laurits said the Internal Security Service (ISS) found Burceva to be a propagandist who backs and aids Kremlin-aligned media, violating international sanctions and committing crimes against the state, mainly by publishing content on Russian propaganda platforms including Baltnews.ee, under the pseudonym Alan Torm, in the period 2020-2023.

Even after the EU imposed sanctions against Russia, Burceva continued to work in the interests of Dmitry Kiselyov, the owner and true beneficiary of RT, it is alleged.

From 2019 to 2021, Burceva studied hybrid conflict at Sevastopol State University under a former FSB officer, later co-authoring Hybrid Warfare for the World via the pseudonym L. B. Svet – this publication reportedly disparages Estonia and aims to sow division in Estonian society, Postimees reported.

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