EXCLUSIVE: Things just got serious. The European Public Prosecutor’s Office has arrived in Estonia.

The scandal surrounding a fake multi-million-euro ammunition procurement for Ukraine is no longer just an internal Estonian affair.

The independent sleuths of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) have officially taken charge of the investigation into deals between the Centre for Defence Investment (RKIK) and the bogus Italian company Datasel.

Massive Fraud Investigation

Estonia’s Prosecutor General, Astrid Asi, acknowledged that the available data warrants an investigation into whether a crime was committed.

Since the funds came from the European Peace Facility rather than the Estonian national budget, the case automatically fell under EU jurisdiction.

Follow the Money

What is Datasel? It is an Italian shell company that was acquired in 2024 by the Indian firm Neco Defence Munitions.

A shell company is a legal business entity that exists only on paper. It has no active business operations, physical office, or real employees. While it can hold money, open bank accounts, and own assets, it does not make products or sell services

Its actual owners are cousins ​​, Indian nationals Anand and Avnish Jaiswal.

No Production of Ammunition?

The company had never manufactured or sold a single shell, yet it received an advance payment of approximately €70 million.

The Czech manufacturer STV Group, itself a victim of Datasel, had explicitly warned that the company was fake, but Estonia did not heed the warning.

It is that serious

Now, a word on the European Public Prosecutor’s Office. It is not merely an advisory body but a full-fledged EU prosecution office that began operations in 2021.

It operates on a two-tier structure: a central office in Luxembourg, staffed by European prosecutors from 24 countries, and delegated prosecutors working in the member states.

Estonia’s appointed representatives are Õnne Neare-Vaarmann and Martin Tuulik.

Heads will roll

Crucially, when performing their European Public Prosecutor’s Office duties, they are entirely independent of the Estonian prosecution service; national authorities cannot issue them instructions.

The Permanent Chamber in Luxembourg provides oversight and includes representatives from other EU countries.

Estonian Regime in Court

Can Estonia shield its own people? Virtually not. Once the case was handed over to the EPPO, the government and the Prosecutor General’s Office lost control over it. Political pressure doesn’t work here.

That is likely why Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur has already resigned, and Defence Ministry Chancellor Kaimo Kuusk has been dismissed.

And this is just the beginning. After all, massively stealing money from the European Peace Facility, which, in turn, had stolen it from Russia, is no small matter. Let readers know what you think

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