Before the downgrading in diplomatic relations, the ambassador and his staff used to work at large in the Russian embassy in Tallinn.

Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, in 2022, the Estonian government closed the consular section in Tartu and the consulate general in Narva and expelled its staff.

[4] During the late Soviet Glasnost policy of Mikhail Gorbachev, new elections were held, returning a parliament that introduced a resolution for independence on 8 May 1990.

Anticipating Estonian independence, Boris Yeltsin, chairman of the Supreme Soviet of the Russian SFSR met with his counterpart, Arnold Rüütel, chairman of the Estonian SSR, in January 1991 to plan for transition.

The first ambassador of the Russian Federation to Estonia, Aleksandr Kuznetsov, was appointed on 24 January 1992.