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27 April, 2018


✔︎ "The Estonian Internal Security Service (Kaitsepolitseiamet – KaPo) is an intelligence service considered one of the best and most resistant to Russian infiltration in the former Eastern Bloc. The Russians themselves admit this, as the Estonian service has for years been one of their most difficult opponents in Europe."  
- Warsaw Institute 

✔︎ Õppus Siil 2018 algab 2. mail ja kestab 14. maini | Eestit ründab riik nimega Murinus 
- Postimees

✔︎ "Just as the steam engine and electricity did in the past, Artificial Intelligence is transforming our world. It presents new challenges that Europe should meet together in order for AI to succeed and work for everyone.”  
- Andrus Ansip

✔︎ Estonia’s 2018 World Press Freedom Ranking : Satisfactory  
- 'Reporters Without Borders'


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- Rõuge Kaussjärve foto:

- Archive:



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Friday 27. April
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- Teisipäeval algab Siil 2018. Sõjapidamist harjutavad Eesti ja välismaa
(Delfi | teised)
"Järgmisel nädalal algab läbi aegade kõige suurem militaarõppus Eesti territooriumil. Kaks nädalat vältav koostööõppus toob kokku enam kui 13 tuhat osalejat, liitlased 19 välisriigist, koostöö PPA, kaitseliidu ja kaitseväe vahel, 350 läbimängitavat intsidenti. „Igav ei hakka kellelgi,” märgib Kaitseliidu ülem kindralmajor Meelis Kiili."
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- Siil 2018 stsenaarium: Eestit ründab riik nimega Murinus
(Postimees | ERR)
"Läbi aegade suurim õppus Siil 2018 algab 2. mail ja kestab 14. maini. Siil hõlmab kogu Eestit, kuid suuremad õppelahingud peetakse Lõuna ja Kagu-Eestis. Kandev roll on seekord Kaitseliidul. Õppusel on plaanitud osalema vähemalt 15 000 kaitseväelast, kaitseliitlast, ajateenijat, reservväelast, naiskodukaitsjat ja liitlasvägede sõdurit."



- Siil 2018 exercise to bring together over 13,000 soldiers from 13 countries
(Baltic Times)
"While the two-week exercise starting on May 2, 2018 will take place in the territory of all of Estonia, the focus of activity will be on the Viljandi, Tartu, Valga, Polva and Voru counties …"



- Pronksiöö aastapäeval pronkssõduri juurde tavapärasest rohkem lilli ja pärgi ei toodud
(Delfi)



- Ethnic Russians Having Become Estonian Citizens Form Increasing Share of Estonian Defense League
(Window on Eurasia)
"This development, chronicled by Russian journalist Yevgeniya Volokhonskaya for the Moscow outlet Spektr, is important. On the one hand, it shows ethnic Russians who have chosen to become Estonian citizens are not acting for pragmatic reasons alone such as having access to the EU, as some Moscow writers suggest, but are identifying with Estonia and its values."



- Estonian Spy Hunters
(Warsaw Institute)
"Estonian counterintelligence is said to be one of the most effective in NATO, begging the question as to the reasons for his effectiveness. Starting from square one, using extreme vetting as well as the de-Sovietization of the security apparatus certainly helped. It could have gone differently – which can be seen in the history of the activities of the main Russian agent of influence in Estonia, Edgar Savisaar. ...”



- Estonia’s National Animal: The Wolf
(Postimees)
"After months of debate and arguments, the wolf, who is perhaps the most controversial wild animal inhabiting our forests, was finally chosen as Estonia’s national animal. … The wolf was picked by a jury made up of around 20 nature conservation and cultural organizations.”

FOTO: Michael Röder / PantherMedia / Scanpix
"The wolf is a universal indicator species: it measures the forest’s condition and reflects Estonians’ understanding of the entirety of nature. If we understand the wolf’s position in the forest, we understand how nature works.”
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"The bear and elk were ruled out as potential candidates as they are already the national animals of Finland and Sweden respectively. … the badger and lynx were also strong candidates. However, looking at folklore, the wolf is clearly the most prominent: it has a lot of euphemisms and stories about it, both good and bad. It is the most interesting animal. ...”



- How Russia’s 'Nord Stream 2' pipeline to Europe is dividing the West
(Washington Post | Baltic Times)
“The Russians are playing a long game here. They’ve got the patience, and they’ve got the commitment,” said a senior Western official who spoke on the condition of anonymity. “We really think the Germans are not seeing the signs or don’t want to see the signs of how this could be very bad for Europe’s future.”
--

Gasprom

- The Baltic Sea needs an intervention
(Science Nordic)
"Nitrate pollution poses a big threat to the Baltic Sea. And since farming is the biggest source of nitrate, much more needs to be done to reduce this source of pollution."



- NATO and the EU in the shifting European security landscape
(American Enterprise Institute)
"As the nature and intensity of the challenges to European stability change, both NATO and the EU feel increasing pressure to become more flexible and adjust properly. It is thus useful to take a closer look at the current dynamics of the European security landscape and to examine what measures NATO and the EU have undertaken so far.”


- NATO under attack — from bad food
(Politico-Europe)
[Despite the €1.1 billion spent on building it’s new headquarters, it’s cafeteria reportedly has a lot to be desired.]
(Eesti keeles)





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Thursday 26. April
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- Kaose juhtimine: kuidas Venemaa juhib oma poliitilist sõda Euroopas
Mark Galeotti
(Riigikogu Toimetised - 2017)
"Venemaa rakendab ja soodustab Euroopas nn aktiivmeetmeid eesmärgiga ebastabiilsust ja segadust tekitada. Need meetmed on sageli oportunistlikud ja sõltuvad kohalikest oludest. Mingit ülemstrateegiat ei ole. Eesmärk on vaid ELi ja NATOt nõrgestada ning luua endale soodsam keskkond."



- Estonian government endorses state budget strategy for 2019-2022
(ERR)
“… amounting altogether to €47 billion and the main goals of which are increasing cohesion in Estonian society and population numbers, promoting economic growth, and strengthening security."



✔︎ Estonia’s 2018 World Press Freedom Ranking
(Reporters Without Borders)
"The media situation is generally satisfactory. The media are free and independent and Estonia is yet again riding high in the World Press Freedom Index. The media market is dominated by two publishers, Eesti Media and Ekspress Group, and by the public broadcaster ERR.”

✔︎ Juhtkiri: Eesti väärikas klubis
(Postimees)
"Vaba meedia ja sõnavabadus on Eesti nüüdiskultuuri identiteedi osad.”

“Press Freedom in Latvia improves.”

"Finland drops again in Press Freedom Index rankings”

Reporters Without Borders

✔︎ Europe turning into crisis region for journalists
(Various sources)
"The rise of populist politics in Europe has weakened press freedom in a region where it was once most secure …"

"Press freedom in Russia and Turkey has sunk to levels that are without precedent in more than three decades, a decline that is all the more worrying because of the influence that these two countries exert on the surrounding region.”

 "Authoritarian leaders are encouraging hostility toward journalists."

"Journalists are murdered in Europe as well …"

 "Hatred of journalism threatens democracies.”

 "US falls as Canada rises"



- Russian TV Station Uses Manipulation In Programme About Denmark
(Radio24syv)
"Many of the participants in a Russian TV programme about Denmark ... feel that their statements have been misrepresented for “Russian propaganda”, they have told Radio24syv, a Danish national radio station.”

- NTV goes to Denmark: a story about backfire
(EU vs Disinfo)






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Tehisintellekt
Artificial Intelligence
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✔︎ Ansipi sõnul peaks EL koostama tehisintellekti eetikakoodeksi
(ERR)
"Maailm vajab tehisintellekti eetikakoodeksit ning Euroopa Liit peaks selle välja töötama, leiab Euroopa Komisjoni digitaalse ühtse turu asepresident Andrus Ansip."

- Euroopa Liit ootab tehisintellekti 24 miljardi dollari investeerimist
(Postimees)

- EU Wants 28-Nation Bloc to Invest $24B in artificial intelligence (AI) 
(European Commission - Press release)
"Vice-President for the Digital Single Market Andrus Ansip said: "Just as the steam engine and electricity did in the past, AI is transforming our world. It presents new challenges that Europe should meet together in order for AI to succeed and work for everyone. We need to invest at least €20 billion by the end of 2020. The Commission is playing its part: today, we are giving a boost to researchers so that they can develop the next generation of AI technologies and applications, and to companies, so that they can embrace and incorporate them."

Andrus Ansip © Aron Urb (EU2017EE)

- AI Policy Page

- European countries signed a declaration of cooperation on AI

- AI will be worth $1.2 trillion
(ZDNet)

- In global AI race, Europe pins hopes on ethics
(Politico-Europe | others)
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- How Artificial Intelligence Could Increase the Risk of Nuclear War
(RAND)
[In 1983 Soviet military officer Stanislav Petrov ignored a computer warning of an imminent attack because it didn’t make sense. He made the decision that it was a false alarm - would AI do the same?]

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Wednesday 25. April
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- Sajad eksperdid harjutavad väljamõeldud riigi peal küberkaitset
(ERR)
"Tallinnas peetakse sel nädalal maailma suurimat rahvusvahelist küberkaitseõppust Locked Shields 2018, kus osaleb kokku ligi tuhat küberturbe eksperti ja juhti 30 riigist."

- Locked Shields exercise begins at NATO cyberdefense center in Tallinn
(ERR)



- Estonia to open diplomatic missions in Budapest, UAE, US West Coast
(ERR)
“… Estonia had a successful presidency of the Council of the EU and has acquired a great deal of knowledge and experience over the past 14 years, and now it was time to put these skills to more active use than before. "For this, the Foreign Ministry will strengthen its missions in major European capitals over the next four years."



- Breaking down the EU budget
(Politico-Europe)
"Brussels is bracing for one of its biggest battles — the fight for cash in the EU’s next long-term budget.”



- ‘Kiev’ Becomes Kyiv for the US Government – Finally
by Paul Goble
(Window on Eurasia) 
"In the 26 years since the demise of the USSR, the United States and some other Western countries have all too often continued to view Ukraine and other countries in the region through a Russian lens, often sending more diplomats who speak Russian than speak the national languages because there are more of the former than the latter and because officials say the elites in these countries still speak Russian. … That has always been insulting …"

- Blog: Ukraine In Crisis
(RFERL)



- Yes, It Is A New Cold War. What Is To Be Done?
by Dr. Ray Smith
(War on the Rocks)
"The issues that divide the United States and Russia today are not as fundamental as the ideological and military rivalries that divided the United States and the Soviet Union in the 1980s. On the other hand, the political obstacles in the United States and the level of distrust in Russia are higher today.”
--
[The author spent more than 30 years at the State Department working primarily on Soviet/Russian affairs and arms control.]



- NATO defends national independence
(CEPA)
"To compensate for its military inferiority, Moscow deploys an assortment of political, economic, financial, and informational tools to achieve its objectives. It capitalizes on Western vulnerabilities, whether through cyber attacks, extensive espionage, disinformation offensives, political corruption, personal blackmail, or other “soft power” tools that debilitate Western officials and institutions. Kremlin interference in the U.S. presidential elections merely the exposed tip of an iceberg of anti-Western subversion. The goal is to promote division and polarization in domestic politics and paralyze foreign policy decisions."




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Tuesday 24. April
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- Eestlased hakkavad Hiinast rongiga kaupa tooma
(ERR)
"Projekt on sisuliselt Hiina valitsuse nn uue siiditee programmi (OBOR) toomine Eestisse ning lepingu järgi nõustus Hiina enda subsiidiume laiendama ka Eesti liinile, Xianist Euroopasse on sarnaseid liine seni loodud neli – Ungarisse, Saksamaale, Poola ja Soome."



- Cyber Pioneers in EU's North Open Hacker-Proof Digital Highway
by Ott Ummelas and Kati Pohjanpalo
(Bloomberg)
“… the ability to transmit sensitive personal information securely across borders is more valuable than ever. Finland and Estonia, two of Europe’s most digitally advanced nations, are about to achieve just that.
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"Security was a key consideration in its design. The two nations both neighbor Russia and are prepared to the teeth to counter modern hybrid warfare. Estonia’s capital, Tallinn, hosts NATO’s cyber defense center, while Helsinki is home to a research facility that specializes in hybrid threats.”
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"The data-exchange is secure because of its fragmented nature. When a party joins, it is able to share encrypted data with all other trusted users over the Internet, without the need to build new connections. Linking hundreds of databases, instead of relying on a centralized system, helps avoid a single point of failure and makes the cost of breaching the system excessive.”



- Veebi lekkis 215,000 Eesti kasutaja parooliga andmebaas
(Postimees)



- Diluting Disinformation
by Edward Lucas
(CEPA)
"RT is a disgrace. But banning it would be a mistake, at least in Britain."

- Kremli rahastatud propagandakanal RT on häbiväärne, aga seda ei tuleks ära keelata
(Postimees)



- Finns scrap €560-a-month universal income experiment
(The Guardian | The Times | BBC)
"Supporters of the idea ... claim that the idea ensures a fairer distribution of wealth as more jobs are lost to machines and would help to avoid feelings of anger and alienation that threaten the cohesion of society."
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- EU’s Next Stop: The Western Balkans
(Carnegie Europe)
“The European Union is focusing on its neglected back garden."

- Strategy for the Western Balkans
(European Commission)





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Monday 23. April
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- Five Significant Differences between Lithuania and Latvia
by Paul Goble
(Window on Eurasia)



- China Is Buying Its Way Into Europe
(Bloomberg)
"We analyzed data for 678 completed or pending deals in 30 countries since 2008 for which financial terms were released, and found that Chinese state-backed and private companies have been involved in deals worth at least $255 billion across the European continent. Approximately 360 companies have been taken over, from Italian tire maker Pirelli & C. SpA to Irish aircraft leasing company Avolon Holdings Ltd., while Chinese entities also partially or wholly own at least four airports, six seaports, wind farms in at least nine countries and 13 professional soccer teams."

Bloomberg

- The Silk Railroad: The EU-China Rail Connection
(OSW)
"The report discusses the current state and future prospects of rail connections between China and the countries of the European Union. Special emphasis is placed on the role of Central Europe."

- Blue China: Navigating the Maritime Silk Road to Europe
(ECFR)



- World Book Day
(Eurostat)
"A survey carried out in 15 EU countries between 2008 and 2015 shows that the average time spent reading books ranges from 2 minutes per day in France and 5 minutes in Italy, Austria and Romania to 13 minutes in Estonia.”




- Opinion: It’s time to drum increasingly authoritarian Turkey out of NATO
(Globe and Mail)
“In its latest Freedom in the World report, Freedom House dropped Turkey from the “partly free” to the “not free” category, citing President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s “growing contempt for political rights and civil liberties in recent years” and “serious abuses in areas including minority rights, free expression, associational rights, corruption, and the rule of law.”





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Russia
“Trust No One"
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- Hazing, Suicides and Unreported Deaths in the Russian Army
(Riddle)
"Despite upbeat official rhetoric, the news media have recently published a number of alarming stories about soldiers committing suicide. Although the situation has been gradually improving, this brings to light a problem that has afflicted Russia’s armed forces for decades.”



- Russian Students In U.K. Unmoved By Kremlin's Call To Come Home
(RFERL)
"Russian television is creating a tense atmosphere and for some reason is trying to prove to Russians that we are surrounded by enemies and that everyone hates us. This isn't true."

- Generation P: The stories of 18 teenagers who have lived a lifetime under Vladimir Putin
(The Moscow Times)



- Russia’s Ban on Telegram Has Politicized the Workspace Overnight
(Carnegie Moscow Center)
"The banning of Telegram, one of the most popular messaging apps in Russia, is a serious blow to the public loyalty of ordinary people to the authorities. … The move to block the secure messaging service has shown that people are prepared to ignore the ban and enter a gray area—and it’s the authorities themselves who have goaded people into this."



- How to Make 500 Victims of a Suspected Chemical Attack Disappear
(EU vs Disinfo)
"Immediately after the reports of a suspected chemical attack in Syrian Douma appeared, Russia reignited its disinformation campaign on the use of chemical weapons in Syria."



- The rise of Russia’s neo-Nazi football hooligans
(The Guardian)
"For the past two decades the Russian state has encouraged groups of violent far-right fans. … But the Kremlin was also aware that these same men could embarrass the nation if mass violence erupts at the 2018 World Cup, a tournament Russia will host for the first time, and the government belatedly tried to distance itself from the hooligans.”
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"To change the international perception of Russian football fans, the Kremlin has hired PR agencies that have planted so-called gentle fans who distribute sweets, warm tea and blankets at matches and post cheery selfies on Instagram. Despite these public displays, some believe that the government continues to support hooligans in private. “It may be difficult for the state to control what it earlier turned a blind eye toward. The state believed that [hooligan groups] were an organised force that could be used to maintain order,” said Yuri Abrashov, a former police colonel who is now the executive director of Event Safety, a government body that organises stewarding at sporting events. “But these groups made promises that were not being fulfilled.”



- How Bad are Things in Russia? An Entire Russian Village Wants to Join Kazakhstan
(Window on Eurasia)
"Tens of thousands of ordinary Russians have voted with their feet in response to the deteriorating conditions in their homeland and moved abroad, but the residents of a Russian village in Omsk Oblast [Dubanovka] have another idea: they want the border between Russia and Kazakhstan redrawn so that they will no longer be part of the former but rather part of the latter.”



- Armenia is having a 'color revolution.' So why is Russia so calm?
(Christian Science Monitor)
"For over two weeks, huge, mostly youthful crowds have been holding rolling demonstrations in the center of Yerevan and other Armenian cities, reacting to an attempt by two-term President Serzh Sargsyan to extend his grip on power. Most previous “color revolutions” in the former Soviet Union have been similarly triggered by fraudulent elections or other duplicitous abuses of power."
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"But unlike those previous cases, the massive popular upsurge in Armenia went almost unnoticed in Western capitals for 10 days, until Mr. Sargsyan suddenly bowed to the street and stepped aside last Monday. Moreover, Russia, which is home to more than 2 million Armenians and has been obsessed with the supposedly dire threat of “color revolutions” for years, was more alert but surprisingly calm."

- Five Key Dimensions of the Armenian Revolution
(Window on Eurasia)

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