ERR | Militarnyi
“Put simply, this means that if Estonia were completely cut off by air, land and sea in the event of war, the country must be able to manage on its own for at least 30 days without external connections. At the same time, people in Estonia themselves are expected to be prepared to cope independently for at least seven days.”
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“This helps ensure the principle that by preparing to win a war and handle the most severe crises, Estonia is also ready to deal with crises of a lesser impact.”
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https://militarnyi.com/en/news/estonia-support-population-month-blockade/
Estonia Redirects €500M From Combat Vehicles to Air Defense and Drones
Postimees | United24
“The government decided on Thursday in principle to suspend a €500 million infantry fighting vehicle procurement program and instead redirect the funds to strengthening drone defense, air defense, and situational awareness.”
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“According to Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur, Estonia will now focus on increasing the firepower, mobility, and situational awareness of the Defence Forces, as well as on unmanned systems.”
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“We are keeping up with the times and taking into account what we learn from the war in Ukraine. The need to increase Estonia’s ability to detect and counter drones was clearly demonstrated by events in recent weeks, when drones that attacked Russia’s Ust-Luga port entered Estonian airspace.”
https://news.postimees.ee/8449574/estonia-cancels-500m-combat-vehicle-purchase-boosts-drone-defense
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Oleme Uues Maailmas
Intervjuu: Toomas Hendrik Ilves
Postimees
“Olen juba mitu aastat öelnud, et Eesti peaks tegelema droonindusega, mis tähendab mitte ainult nende kasutuselevõttu, aga samuti seda, kuidas nende vastu võidelda. Meil on siin mitu intsidenti olnud, kus on Eestis tabatud või on nähtud droone, mis on näiteks üle Tapa või Ämari lennanud ning ei ole suudetud maha võtta.”
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“Usun, et see on see valdkond sõjanduses, kus meil on vaja teha väga palju. Oli avalikustatud intsident, juhtum läinud aasta Siili ajal, kus üks 6000-lise NATO soomustatud üksuse hävitas 17 ukrainlast oma droonidega.”
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“Nad kasutasid kõiki neid samu külma sõja aegseid taktikaid, kus siis kõik erinevad tankid või transporterid olid reas. Tehti sama selle õppuse käigus, mida ukrainlased tegid 2022. aasta sõja alguses, kuna venelased tulid ka kolonnides sisse. Tollal veel mitu droonipõlvkonda tagasi, Bayraktar, Türgi droon lihtsalt hävitas kõik ära.”
“President Toomas Hendrik Ilves: we are in a new world.”
Postimees
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The Coffee Club
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https://www.naiskodukaitse.ee/OLE_VALMIS_3680
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A reduced U.S. role in NATO does not mean the end for Estonia
ERR - Opinion
“… according to Raimond Kaljulaid, a member of the Estonian Parliament's National Defence Committee. Speaking on ERR television on Monday morning, Kaljulaid noted that Estonia's security strategy is highly diversified. "We have our own independent national defense capability, our closest regional allies, and our European allies.”
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“Kaljulaid warned that U.S. President Donald Trump's rhetoric regarding a U.S. withdrawal from NATO should be taken more seriously than usual. …”
https://news.err.ee/1609987569/mp-a-reduced-us-role-in-nato-does-not-mean-the-end-for-estonia
Estonia preparing defense plan in case of Russian occupation
RBC-Ukraine
“Tallinn is changing its approach to warfare. The previous principle of territorial defense has been significantly expanded, and the army now plans to act preemptively. The main goal is to prevent large-scale battles on Estonian soil. The military plans to carry out deep strikes, which will allow them to destroy enemy forces before they cross the border. Such a strategy aims to reduce civilian casualties.”
https://newsukraine.rbc.ua/news/estonia-prepares-defense-defense-plan-in-1775769392.html
Russian cyber espionage unit exposed
Välisministeerium
“On 7. April, the operation of APT28, a cyber espionage unit run by Russia’s military intelligence (GRU), was exposed as a result of extensive international cooperation, in which Estonia also participated. The aim of the operation was to exploit routers in Western countries and to steal login credentials, personal data and other sensitive information. A small number of routers belonging to Estonian users were also compromised.”
“Russia's military intelligence hackers hijacked at least 18,000 routers across 120+ countries.”
State of Surveillance
Estonia to stage one of its biggest ever national crisis drills
By Silver Tambur
Estonian World
“More than 130 organisations will take part. … The exercise, named Ilves 2026, will run from 8. to 12. June and is intended to test Estonia’s comprehensive defence system – the ability of the state, local authorities, businesses and volunteers to continue functioning under pressure during a wide-ranging crisis.”
https://estonianworld.com/security/estonia-to-stage-one-of-its-biggest-ever-national-crisis-drills/
Estonia has recommended Ukraine use different flight paths
ERR
“… when attacking Russia's Baltic ports to reduce the chance its attack drones fly off course and into Estonian airspace. … Ukrainian drones have flown off course and been found in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Finland. None of these countries has asked Ukraine to stop its attacks, as other allies have reportedly done, but the situation has been discussed by ministers.”
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“Estonia says detaining Russia's tankers in Baltic Sea is too risky.”
Reuters
“Märtsis sündis 788 last, populaarsemad nimed Amelia ja Sebastian.”
Estonian World Review
“Speed limits go up on Estonian highways.”
ERR
“Doktoritöö: võõrkeeles koolitatud tehisaru oskab paremini ka eesti keelt.”
Novaator
“Juhtkiri: Alar Karis ikka oskab tühjalt kohalt tüli kiskuda.”
Delfi
“Public trust in Estonia's president reached 76 %.”
ERR
“Alar Karis paistis lõplikult minetavat koalitsiooni toetuse.”
Postimees
ERR
“Vaindloo saare juures on ankrus üle 30 tankeri, pooled sanktsioneeritud.”
ERR
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Around the Baltic Sea
Moscow threatens Baltic states claiming they help Ukraine strike Russia
Euronews | Kyiv Post
“… and blaming them for allowing the use of their airspace by Ukrainian forces. … Speaking to reporters in Moscow, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said that the Baltic states ‘have received an appropriate warning’.”
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https://www.kyivpost.com/post/73605
Europe’s future after Trump leaves NATO
By Edward Lucas
EU Observer - Opinion
“Though he would need Congressional approval to withdraw formally from the alliance, he says the move is “beyond reconsideration,” adding “I was never swayed by Nato. I always knew they were a paper tiger, and Putin knows that too, by the way”.
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“Amid endless talk about strategic autonomy — that is, an escape from US hegemony — they have never mustered the money, political will, and unity among themselves to do it.”
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“For European Nato members (with 600 million people and $30 trillion [€26 trillion] GDP, measured in terms of purchasing power), dealing with Russia (with a population of around 146 million and $7 trillion GDP is, at least on paper and given time, quite feasible. After all, much smaller and poorer Ukraine has fought the Russian war machine nearly to a standstill. …”
https://euobserver.com/210026/europes-future-after-trump-leaves-nato/
Euroopat võib mõne nädala pärast tabada lennukikütuse puudus
Postimees
“Euroopa lennujaamade rahvusvaheline nõukogu saatis Euroopa Liidu transpordivolinikule Apostolos Tzitzikostasele kirja, milles hoiatas, et blokk on kolme nädala kaugusel lennukikütuse puudusest. Väljaande Financial Times nähtud kiri tekitab muresid, et USA-Iisraeli rünnakute jätkudes ja Hormuzi väina tarnete püsimises tavapärasest tunduvalt väiksematena võib suvehooaega tabada lendude ja puhkusepakettide massiline tühistamine.”
https://maailm.postimees.ee/8450163/euroopat-voib-mone-nadala-parast-tabada-lennukikutuse-puudus
Trump weighs pulling some US troops from Europe
Radio Poland
“… amid NATO strains. According to The Wall Street Journal, Trump's administration is considering withdrawing American troops from NATO countries that failed to sufficiently support the United States during the war with Iran, and repositioning them to eastern-flank allies …”
“Trumpi tiim arutab karistust NATO liikmetele, kes ei toetanud Iraani sõda.”
WSJ | Postimees
“Trump vents at NATO but avoids rupture after meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.”
Washington Post
“What Trump’s blowup with Rutte was really about.”
Politico
“A European army can help fix NATO, says EU defense commissioner.”
Politico Europe
“Estonia's NATO ambassador does not believe US will leave alliance.”
ERR
“Trump admits Putin ‘explained NATO’ to him.”
MS Now
“Trump’s flawed case against NATO.”
MS NOW
“U.S. is losing Europe faster than Americans realize.”
Washington Post
“It would be wise to cancel the July NATO Summit.”
The Baltic Sentinel - Opinion
Europe mulls the prospect of a NATO without the US
By Teri Schultz
Deutsche Welle
“Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna is perhaps the only European leader to have announced that his country is willing to help the Trump administration in Iran even before the war is over. But despite all the US accusations about a lack of support, he said there has been no actual request.”
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“Tsahkna said his reason for offering is all about paying it forward. "Of course, this [anti-NATO] narrative is not good," he told DW. "Estonian people are asking me and many other politicians every day whether NATO's Article 5 is working or not." Tsahkna advises all of Europe to "remain cool, let's focus on what we can do and of course constantly we need to talk to the US administration," reminding them that the US needs Europe too.”
https://www.dw.com/en/europe-mulls-the-prospect-of-a-nato-without-the-us/a-76682522
Lithuanian Military Calls Russian Threats Intimidation, Not Imminent Risk
Kyiv Post
“The Lithuanian military has called recent Russian threats information pressure rather than preparations for military action, as analysts point to similar tactics in Estonia’s border city of Narva.”
https://www.kyivpost.com/post/73446
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Putin’s Forever War
Putin Tells Billionaires to Fill the Begging Bowl
By Alexander Kolyandr
CEPA
“It is inconceivable that Russia’s major billionaires would refuse, and that’s closely linked to why these men should no longer be called oligarchs. Two or three decades ago, they could impose their will on the state, manipulate the legislature, and bend or subvert the law: they were oligarchs in the true sense of the word.”
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“But since the financial crisis of 2008–09, and with increasing speed after Putin’s return to the presidency in 2012, they bend to the Kremlin’s will rather than shape it. The invasion of Ukraine marked a new stage in this subordination. Putin has offered his tycoons state support in weathering Western sanctions in exchange for complete loyalty and public backing of the war. Squeezed between those sanctions and the threat of domestic reprisals, the billionaires fell into line. They are creatures of the Kremlin now, not a power unto themselves.”
https://cepa.org/article/putin-tells-billionaires-to-fill-the-begging-bowl/
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