Freestyle skier Kelly Sildaru and cross-country skier Martin Himma carried the Estonian flag at the opening ceremony of the XXIV Winter Olympics in Beijing.

 

(Foto: SCANPIX/REUTERS)

Pekingis avati taliolümpiamängud

(ERR)

“Reedel avati Pekingis ametlikult XXIV taliolümpiamängud. Eesti lippu kandsid avatseremoonial freestyle-suusataja Kelly Sildaru ja murdmaasuusataja Martin Himma.”

https://sport.err.ee/1608489707/pekingis-avati-taliolumpiamangud

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Cover photo:

https://www.joint-forces.com/exercise-news/50607-ex-winter-camp-2022-underway-in-estonia

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Friday 4. February

Eestisse saabub peagi veel 850 Suurbritannia sõdurit

(ERR)

“Suurbritannia on NATO lahingugrupi juhtriik Eestis. Lahingugruppi panustavad ka Prantsusmaa, Taani ja Island. Kaitseväe 1. jalaväebrigaadi koosseisus tegutseva liitlaste pataljoni lahingugrupi suuruseks on ligi 1200 kaitseväelast.”

https://www.err.ee/1608489953/eestisse-saabub-peagi-veel-850-suurbritannia-sodurit

Saksa press sahistab, et Kaja Kallasest võib saada NATO peasekretär

(Õhtuleht)

“NATO praeguse peasekretäri Jens Stoltenbergi ametiaeg saab läbi 30. septembril ning ta asub juhtima Norra keskpanka. Juba spekuleeritakse NATO uue juhi üle ning Saksa suurim pressiagentuur nimetab võimaliku kandidaadina ka Eesti peaministrit Kaja Kallast.”

https://www.ohtuleht.ee/1054997/uued-tuuled-saksa-press-sahistab-et-kaja-kallasest-voib-saada-nato-peasekretar

Jens Stoltenberg’s stint as NATO secretary-general ends later this year

(Deutsche Welle)

“According to alliance sources, former British Prime Minister Theresa May, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas, former EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini and Romanian President Klaus Iohannis have all been touted as possible candidates to succeed Stoltenberg.”

https://www.dw.com/en/nato-chief-jens-stoltenberg-to-lead-norways-central-bank/a-60662127

Meeleavaldus muutus vägivaldseks

(Postimees)

“Sikupilli keskuse juurest alanud koroonapiirangutevastane meeleavaldus eile hommikul muutus vägivaldseks koosolemise lõpus, kui politseinikud ühel autoga Toompeale sõita soovinud noormehel käed raudu panid.”

https://leht.postimees.ee/7445998/meeleavaldus-muutus-vagivaldseks#_ga=2.248193927.1249181077.1643944004-639700436.1642028961

—

https://tv.postimees.ee/7446044/vooglaiu-uleskutse-kodanikuallumatusele-taideti-vagivaldsel-moel#_ga=2.206833171.1249181077.1643944004-639700436.1642028961

Vladimir Juškin: miks Putin NATOt kardab

(Postimees)

“Praegu valitseb võim negatiivsuse ja hirmutamise kaudu: teravdab olukorda, eirab ühiskondlikke teemasid ja keeldub dialoogist.”

https://arvamus.postimees.ee/7445699/vladimir-juskin-miks-putin-natot-kardab#_ga=2.139658803.1249181077.1643944004-639700436.1642028961

Estonian PM calls for strong sanctions and ‘strategic patience’ in dealing with Moscow

(Politico)

“I can see clearly what Putin does,” Kallas told POLITICO in an interview Tuesday, warning against giveaways to the Kremlin as pressure mounts to defuse a military buildup of more than 100,000 Russian troops at the Russia-Ukraine border.”

—

 “Kallas’ great-grandfather campaigned to create the first Estonian Republic in 1918 and was its first secret police chief. Her mother, grandmother and great-grandmother were sent to Siberia as Soviet prisoners, and her father, Siim Kallas, served as one of newly independent Estonia’s first prime ministers from 2002 to 2003. Now, Kaja Kallas is leading a new generation of resistance against Moscow. … “They use this old Soviet type of negotiation tactics.”

—

“Once written off in Brussels as “Russophobes,” Western allies now take Baltic governments such as the one Kallas leads with a new level of seriousness.”

https://www.politico.com/news/2022/02/01/estonia-prime-minister-sanctions-moscow-00004082

“Transcript: Crisis in Ukraine with Estonia Prime Minister Kaja Kallas.” - Washington Post 1. Feb

“Interview: Kaja Kallas.” - Washington Post video 1. Feb 

“Interview: Kaja Kallas.” - CBC News video 1. Feb

“Interview: Kaja Kallas.” - Bloomberg video 1. Feb

Putin Seeking Not Just to Pressure Ukraine but Revise Results of Cold War

By Paul Goble

“Transforming Russia into ‘a fortress’ requires that neighboring states surround Russia with ‘a cordon sanitaire,’” an arrangement that “for Moscow means their demilitarization.” But in revising this part of the results of the Cold War, Putin wants to retain another, the ability of Russia. although shut off from the West, to continue to rely on Western economic assistance.”

http://windowoneurasia2.blogspot.com/2022/02/putin-seeking-not-just-to-pressure.html

“The Reason Putin Would Risk War.” - The Atlantic

“Putin’s unlikely war with Ukraine.” - New Eastern Europe

None of the fears the Kremlin’s propaganda play on have any foundation in reality. 

“The last consequential NATO expansion was decades ago. No one was seriously contemplating NATO membership for Ukraine or Georgia. Plans for U.S. missiles in eastern Ukraine targeting Russia are pure fantasy. No sane person sees the risk of Norway, Estonia, Ukraine or any other border state planning to invade Russia.” 

- Carl Bildt OpEd, The Washington Post 31. Jan. 2022

“Russia may stage video to create pretext for Ukraine war.” - Reuters

“Russian State Media Aren’t Preparing for War.” - Foreign Policy

Thousands Of Russian Intellectuals, Activists Urge Kremlin To Avoid 'Immoral' War With Ukraine

(RFERL)

"Russia does not need a war with Ukraine and the West. Nobody is threatening us, nobody is attacking us. The policy based on promoting the idea of such a war is immoral, irresponsible, and criminal, and cannot be implemented on behalf of Russia's peoples. Such a war cannot have either legal or moral goals.... Russian citizens are actually becoming hostages of a criminal adventurism into which Russia's foreign policy is being turned.”

https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-ukraine-activists-intellectuals-statement/31681047.html

"Войну с Украиной нам не простят.” - RFERL

On Ukraine, Many Russians Have No Doubt: It’s the Fault of the U.S.

(New York Times (login required)

“America badly wants to start this war,” said Olga A. Petrova, a retiree, referring to the simmering conflict between Russia and the West over Ukraine. “NATO wants to bring its troops to our borders, they looked for our weak spots and they found Ukraine,” she said, adding that Americans “don’t even know where Ukraine is on the map.”

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/04/world/europe/russia-public-opinion-ukraine-us-nato.html?referringSource=articleShare

“We have other problems, said a resident in Russia’s Rostov region.” - Meduza

Thursday 3. February

The deployment of American fighter jets to Estonia will remain indefinitely

(Washington Post)

“The jets are among a contingent of six F-15 Strike Eagle warplanes that arrived in Amari Air Base last week from their base in Britain, initially to participate in a scheduled NATO exercise. Now, the planes will remain indefinitely, said Lt. Col. Taylor Gifford, director of operations for the 336th Fighter Squadron, to bolster the small Baltic air policing mission patrolling the only sliver of NATO airspace directly bordering Russia.”

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/02/01/nato-russia-baltics-estonia/

“Video: US jets deployed to Estonia to bolster NATO defense.” - Estonian World

“U.S. F-15s join NATO mission in Estonia as a clear message.” - CBS News

“Lithuania Calls for Permanent U.S. Troop Presence.” - Foreign Policy

NATO says Russia to have 30,000 troops on drills in Belarus, north of Ukraine

(Reuters)

“The Russia-Belarus exercises, running until Feb. 20, have provided Moscow with cover to further increase forces near Ukraine at a time when the United States and Britain have warned that Moscow may be gearing up for war. … Russia denies planning to invade Ukraine and has described the Allied Resolve exercises with Belarus as a rehearsal in repelling external aggression.”

—

“This is the biggest Russian deployment there since the Cold War, with an expected 30,000 combat troops as well as Spetsnaz special operations forces, SU-35 fighter jets, S-400 air defence systems and nuclear-capable Iskander missiles.”

https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/nato-says-russia-have-30000-troops-drills-belarus-north-ukraine-2022-02-03/

—

https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/nato-concerned-by-russian-exercises-belarus-moscow-criticises-us-2022-02-03/

“Valgevene helikopterid ja Vene tankid harjutasid ühisrünnakut.” - Postimees

Russia Couldn’t Occupy Ukraine even if It Wanted to

(Foreign Policy)

“The Russian military has too much experience to think a full-scale invasion is a good idea. … There is little doubt that the build-up of what are now around 80 battalion tactical groups, which include tanks, artillery, and around 130,000 troops, represents a profound threat to Ukraine. The apparent presence of airborne military units and amphibious assets indicate how multifaceted any military onslaught could become. Perhaps most worrying are the movements of Rosgvardiya detachments, or Russian National Guard troops, who would be responsible for providing security on territory behind the frontlines, managing prisoners of war and securing logistics. These are all potential signals that a comprehensive plan for occupation may be in place.”

—

“Yet any discussion of potential Russian action toward Ukraine needs to take into account the resources available to the Russian state, and the history of previous Russian, Soviet, and other great-power military occupations. And here the picture becomes less clear cut than a lot of speculation over the potential occupation of Ukraine acknowledges.”

https://foreignpolicy.com/2022/02/03/russia-couldnt-occupy-ukraine-if-it-wanted-to/

“Here’s where countries stand on the Russia-Ukraine crisis.” - Washington Post

“NATO Says It Won't Send Troops To Ukraine If Russia Invades.” - RFERL

Wednesday 2. February

Estonia commemorates the 2. Feb. 1920 Tartu Peace Treaty

By Silver Tambur and Sten Hankewitz, Estonian World

“… that ended the Estonian War of Independence, established the country’s eastern border and obligated Soviet Russia to recognise Estonian independence – the fact the Soviet Union ignored only 20 years later.”

https://estonianworld.com/security/estonia-commemorates-the-tartu-peace-treaty/

Estonia: The country inoculating against disinformation

(BBC Future)

“Subjected to repeated disinformation campaigns, the tiny Baltic country of Estonia sees media literacy education as part of its digital-first culture and national security.”

—

"The purpose of education is to support students and help them become a person who adequately perceives the environment around them and critically understands and evaluates information. One 2021 study found that people often shared misinformation on social media because they did not pay close attention to the content.”

—

“In Estonia, there are signs that all the education is having an effect, according to Kumpas. Estonia has some of the highest media literacy skills in Europe, according to some assessments and its young people appear to consume news differently to their contemporaries in some other countries …”

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20220128-the-country-inoculating-against-disinformation

“Estonia may face similar cyber attacks as those made against Ukraine.” - Baltic Times

Biden dispatching additional U.S. troops to reinforce NATO in Eastern Europe

(Washington Post)

“… with some moving from permanent posts in Germany to NATO’s eastern flank in Romania, and others heading from Fort Bragg in North Carolina to establish a new headquarters in Germany and reinforce existing forces in Poland. The deployments are intended to be temporary.”

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/02/02/ukraine-russia-putin-military-nato/

M/S Estonia disaster TV series planned, billed as Finland's priciest-ever drama

(Yle | C21Media | TBI)

“… set to start production in May.”

https://yle.fi/news/3-12296674

—

https://www.c21media.net/news/fisher-king-karnfilm-team-up-for-drama-copro-based-on-estonia-disaster/

—

https://tbivision.com/2022/02/02/scripted-round-up-nordic-net-buy-estonia-viaplay-takes-athena-starlings-propagate-drama-shadowland-amc-orders-drama-duo/

Tuesday 1. February

Välisministeerium andis Venemaale üle noodi õhupiiri rikkumise kohta

(Postimees)

“Välisministeerium kutsus välja Venemaa ajutise asjuri, et anda üle noot Eesti õhupiiri rikkumise kohta.”

https://www.postimees.ee/7442905/valisministeerium-andis-venemaale-ule-noodi-ohupiiri-rikkumise-kohta

“A Russian warplane breached Estonian airspace in a suspected attempt to test NATO defences over the weekend.” - Uk Express

68% oleksid nõus kaaluma tuumajaama Eestisse rajamist

(Postimees)

“Kõrged gaasi- ja elektrihinnad sel sügistalvel on pannud inimesi tõsiselt energiast huvituma ja aduma, et põhjamaal ainult heale ilmale loota ei saa. Eesti on piisavalt küps kaalumaks tõsiselt kümne aasta perspektiivis 20. sajandi põlevkivienergeetika asendamist 21. sajandi uue põlvkonna tuumaenergeetikaga,» märkis Fermi Energia tegevjuht Kalev Kallemets.”

https://majandus.postimees.ee/7443029/uuring-68-protsenti-oleksid-nous-kaaluma-tuumajaama-eestisse-rajamist#_ga=2.56655466.1711549126.1643651749-639700436.1642028961

Survey shows positive attitude in Russia towards Estonia and Estonians

(Estonian World)

“The Yuri Levada Analytical Centre, an independent non-profit centre based in Russia, polled 1,634 adults in Russia and looked into their general attitudes towards Estonia and Estonians. … in general, the majority of Russians have a favourable view of Estonia. 52% of respondents said they had a positive or very positive view of Estonia, whereas 17% of respondents had a negative view.”

—

“The respondents were more critical when describing relations between the two states. Only 8% thought the relations between Estonia and Russia were good, 22% considered the relations normal or peaceful, 29% of respondents thought the relations were cool, 12% considered them tense and 7% considered them hostile.”

https://estonianworld.com/security/survey-shows-positive-attitude-in-russia-towards-estonia-and-estonians/

Thousands of tons of waste were illegally shipped between Finland and Estonia

(Yle | Baltic Times)

“The first investigation involved 70 shipments totalling about 1,700 tonnes of construction waste from Finland to Estonia without the required permits. The alleged shipments took place from May to October 2019, until the shipping firm was caught. Finnish authorities became aware of the illegal shipments that autumn, after Estonian authorities contacted them about a load of waste delivered from Finland to the Port of Tallinn that did not agree with the shipping documents they were shown.”

https://yle.fi/news/3-12295741

—

https://www.baltictimes.com/estonia__finland_engaging_in_cooperation_to_investigate_illegal_waste_shipment/

NATO’s Unity an Unpleasant Surprise for Russia, Kaja Kallas Says

(Bloomberg)

“Premier Kaja Kallas said that Russian President Vladimir Putin’s intentions in Ukraine still aren’t clear as his government masses forces across the border from its former Soviet partner. The Kremlin denies that it is planning to invade. “He’s building military forces around Ukraine, and it presents a great threat,” Kallas said in an interview with Bloomberg Television on Monday from Tallinn. “The unity of NATO allies has become a negative surprise for Russia -- that NATO’s allies have kept the line very strongly.” 

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-01-31/nato-s-unity-an-unpleasant-surprise-for-russia-estonia-says

Britain to double NATO deployment in Baltics, Nordics

(Deutsche Welle | EU Observer)

“British Prime Minister Boris Johnson spoke of "Russian hostility" as his office declared enhanced support to NATO member states. British officials are set to engage in talks in Brussels and Moscow next week. … The UK is considering an offer that doubles troop numbers in NATO's Nordic and Baltic member countries and sending defensive weapons to Estonia, the prime minister's office said.”

https://www.dw.com/en/britain-to-offer-major-nato-deployment-in-baltics-nordics/a-60600724

—

https://euobserver.com/world/154235

“Winter Camp 2022 Underway In Estonia.” - JointForcesMedia

“UK considering sending 900 more soldiers to Estonia.” - ERR

“Russia’s military buildup on the Ukrainian border is reminding Narva of where it sits.” - The Economist, login required

“Lithuania To Put Cameras Along Entire Border Barrier With Belarus.” - RFERL

And Finally:

'Like Mice In A Frying Pan': Civilians In Eastern Ukraine Take Their Fears To Social Media

(RFERL)

“"I'm so sick of these daily predictions," one contributor wrote on the Russian social media site VK. "It's fine for those who are sitting on a couch somewhere in Nizhny Novgorod or Krasnoyarsk far from our war to sit around and make predictions over beer and chips. But what is it like for us to read all this? We are like mice in a frying pan that are about to be put over the fire. And everyone is watching with interest. Over their beers and chips."

https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-russia-online-forums-fear-anger-frustration/31680014.html

“Europe Must Shed Its Illusions About Russia.” - Foreign Policy

“Why Putin’s gamble on Ukraine is insane.” - Washington Post

“If the Kremlin can make Ukrainian businesses uninsurable, it will destroy the economy.” - Foreign Policy

“Comparing Ukraine And Russia's Military Might.” - RFERL

 

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