Tallinn Airport unaffected by GPS jamming - Estonian airspace is safe
(ERR | Eesti Transpordiamet)
“Estonian airspace is controlled and safe – flights are running as planned," the agency said in a statement. It said overflight traffic also takes place in controlled airspace and is supported by an additional DME-DME network, an alternative navigation system to GPS.”
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“GPS-signaali segamine ei mõjuta Tallinna lennujaama tööd ega lende.” - Eesti Transpordiamet
Claim: GPS jamming traced to Russia
(New Scientist, 1. May)
“The GPS-jammer affecting aircraft around Estonia is located in Russia, about halfway to St Petersburg from Narva, Estonia. This is shown by plotting the highest density of intersecting radio horizons of jammed aircrafts on a map.”
Map:
https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1785045420185473079.html
“Statement by the North Atlantic Council on recent Russian hybrid activities.” - NATO press release
Estonia blames Russia for GPS interference
(Politico Europe | Novaya Gazeta | U.S. News)
“The airport at Estonia's second city relies solely on a GPS signal for approach and landing. … Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna called the GPS jamming a “hybrid attack” and blamed Russia — saying he intends to raise the issue at the EU and NATO.”
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“Russian jamming threatens to dampen Tartu’s year of celebration.” - Emerging Europe
“Estonia turns to EU and NATO over suspicions of Russian GPS jamming.” - Bloomberg
“Russia: Jamming and Gray-Zone Games.” - National Review
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EstoNews On-Line:
https://estonewsoftheweek.blogspot.com/
EstoNews Dropbox Archive:
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/1kvd04gtar6ty2b/AADCUK2J_RXcMyIYf_sjnAwoa?dl=0
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Friday 3. May
Estonian identity document fees will rise significantly January 1, 2025
(ERR)
“The price of an ID card will rise from €30 to €45 – from €20 to €35 if done by self-service, and a passport will increase from €45 to €60 – or €35 to €60 if done via self-service. A residence permit will cost €60 or €70 under the new rules. An e-Resident's identity card will rise from €100 to €150.”
https://news.err.ee/1609331670/estonian-identity-document-fees-to-rise-significantly
Eesti taevas võis öösel näha helendavat raketiosa
(Novaator | Postimees)
“Ekspertide hinnangul paistab nähtus olevat seotud SpaceX'i kanderaketiga.”
https://novaator.err.ee/1609331340/eesti-taevas-vois-oosel-naha-helendavat-raketiosa
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https://teadus.postimees.ee/8013109/fotod-ja-video-eesti-taevasse-ilmus-eile-ohtul-voimas-tulekera
Kaitseväe Aastaraamat 2023
(Postimees)
“Kaks aastat tagasi Ukraina vastu täiemahulist sõda alustanud Venemaa on nüüdseks läbinud ajutise peataoleku faasi, koondanud oma võimed ja hakanud kaotusi kompenseerima, märgitakse värskes kaitseväe aastaraamatus.”
https://www.postimees.ee/8013712/kaitsevae-aastaraamat-venemaa-ajutine-peataolek-on-labi
“Estonian Defence Forces Annual Review 2023.” - EDF
“NATO members ‘deeply concerned’ by activities such as sabotage on alliance soil. They blame Russia” - AP
New York Estonian House Hosts Alternative Art Fair
(New York Times)
“26 dealers, many with Northern and Eastern European roots, from Oslo to Latvia to Tbilisi to Estonia, have installed art in every corner of the space. Maximalist porcelain vessels by the American-Latvian artist duo Skuja Braden sit, perky as sunflowers, on top of the pool table; upstairs, a video of young people spitting paint and rolling in dirt by the Brooklyn-based artist Oliver Herring screens on a monitor above a piano. The wood-paneled foyer hosts a rocking-chair sculpture with a ceramic tongue by the Estonian artist Kris Lemsalu. …”
“From Tallinn to NYC: Esther art fair brings Estonian flair to Manhattan.” - Euronews
1. May marked 20 years since Estonia joined the European Union
(ERR)
“… and the country's role in the 27-member organization has changed significantly during this time. On this day 20 years ago, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, and Slovenia joined the union, taking it from 15 members to 25 in the "big bang" enlargement.”
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"In the early years we had to prove ourselves, perhaps more than many others," said Väino Reinart, Estonia's former permanent representative to the European Union (2002-2007). "If we look back at the history of enlargement, it was not a foregone conclusion that we should be invited to join. It was the result of our own hard work, our own plan, that we had to be better in measurable terms than those countries that were invited. Fortunately, we achieved this. But that kind of view still accompanied us, I would argue, for years. After all, we've all had the experience of traveling abroad somewhere and being from somewhere in the former Soviet Union. This attitude lasted for years.”
https://news.err.ee/1609328778/20-years-estonia-s-most-important-european-union-moments
“Estonia’s Views on EU Enlargement.” - ICDS
“Estonia in the EU: 20 years of membership.” - ICDS
“EU Eastern Enlargement 20 Years On.” - Kyiv Post
“EU, 20 years since enlargement to the East.” - Nova Agency
“Von der Leyen: Member states can learn a lot from Estonia.” - ERR
“Eastern Europeans reflect on 20 years of EU membership.” - Kathimerini
“20th anniversary of Estonia's accession to the EU.” - Välisministeerium
“EU Enlargement 20 Years On: Lessons From Europe's Big Bang.” - Worldcrunch
Having doubts about the value of EU enlargement? Look at Estonia!
By Kristi Raik, ICDS
“Estonia is one of the brightest examples of EU membership actually having a major positive impact. … For Estonia, accession to the EU and NATO has always been about geopolitics, although the term was unpopular at the time. It was a choice between securing democracy, freedom, and sovereignty as a full-fledged member of western structures or being dominated by the then semi-authoritarian and aggressive (recall the wars in Chechnya) former occupier.”
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“The Baltic states learned throughout the 1990s and early 2000s that Russia was not keen to let go of its sphere of influence in the post-Soviet space. In the early 1990s, it tried to create a separatist enclave in North-East Estonia, similar to the Transnistrian region in Moldova. Russia withdrew its troops from Estonia in 1994 only thanks to friendly western pressure. Later on, Moscow constantly tried to instrumentalise the issue of Russian-speaking minorities to blackmail the Baltic states in the west and put obstacles to their EU membership. A few years after Estonia’s accession to the EU and NATO, the country experienced massive cyberattacks originating from Russia in the so-called Bronze Soldier crisis. At the same time, Russia was sliding back to authoritarian rule, having never got very far with the democratisation process.”
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“Had Estonia missed the window of opportunity twenty years ago, it would likely be grappling with direct threats to its existence and sovereignty today, or worse.”
https://icds.ee/en/having-doubts-about-the-value-of-eu-enlargement-look-at-estonia/
Joint statement of the Presidents of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia on the 20th Anniversary of EU Membership
(Office of the President of Estonia)
“The Baltic States joined the EU on May 1st, 2004. The inscription “European Union” appeared on our citizens’ passports, marking a triumphant return to our rightful historical place as members of the European family. Our membership in the EU – and in NATO – fundamentally changed the geopolitical landscape and determined the future of the Baltic States.”
Thursday 2. May
As Ukraine appears to be losing ground, is Narva Next?
(Wall Street Journal via Microsoft Start)
“Back in 1993, before the Baltic country joined the European Union and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, Moscow-backed Narva council members organized a referendum on regional "autonomy," abyword for alignment with Russia. Estonia rejected the vote, in which residents backed the proposal with a turnout of 54%, as a grave threat to its independence and territorial integrity. That separatist fervor has dissipated for now, at least in the open, but the danger from Russia hasn’t."
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Photo: WSJ Dragon Teeth anti-vehicle barriers on the Estonian side of the Narva Bridge |
‘Collective trauma’: Sweden’s Indigenous Sami people speak out
(The Guardian)
“The Sami, recognised as one of Sweden’s official national minorities, are the only recognised Indigenous people in the EU, with roots going back between 3,000 and 10,000 years. Láilá Susanne Vars, a commissioner on the truth commission for the Sami people, said their interviews had already uncovered previously undocumented information and “a lot of collective trauma”. The commission will submit its findings in 2025 with a three-volume report and recommendations to the Swedish government on how historical wrongdoing against Sami people has affected their lives today.”
Wednesday 1. May
NATO idatiiva õnn ja õnnetus: uus peasekretär ei ole vastav uuele kaitsestrateegiale?
Ines Edur, Diplomaatia
“Uued NATO kaitseplaanid on tugevdanud idarinde Venemaa-suunalist heidutust, ent peasekretär Jens Stoltenbergi ametijärglase valimine näitab, et Ida-Euroopa ei suuda end siiski kokku võtta ja „oma“ kandidaadi taha koonduda. Näib, et hirm Venemaa reaktsiooni ees jääbki idatiiva potentsiaali piirama.”
“Suur osa eurooplastest ei tunneta Ukraina sõja tõsist ohtu.” - Postimees
“On aeg seada Läänemerel sisse NATO mereturve.” - Postimees
Survey: Over half of Estonia’s conscripts prepared to defend the country
(BNS via Estonian World)
“At the end of conscript service, three quarters of conscripts are convinced the country must be defended. The personal willingness to contribute to military defence depends on the general mindset when entering conscript service and the perception of national defence. Altogether, 57 per cent are definitely ready to contribute to national defence, 28 per cent cannot give a clear assessment, and 15 per cent are those who would rather not contribute.”
“Invasion Worries in Eastern Europe.” - NPR
“NATO's top military commander has no illusions about the Russian threat.” - Postimees
“As Ukraine Loses Ground, Baltic Countries Ask: Are We Next?” - WSJ
“Estonia welcomes Sweden and Finland into Nato.” - Nordic Labor Journal
Estonia must end logging to hit climate target
(ERR)
“Estonia can only meet its forestry and land use climate target by drastically reducing logging next year or by postponing the clearing work planned for Rail Baltica and military purposes. … Estonia has just under a year and a half left to meet its first major climate target.”
“Documentary exposes state logging in Estonia.” - ERR
Estonia has begun installing emergency sirens throughout the country
(TVP)
“Six alarm stations have been installed in Estonia so far. By the end of the year, a total of 125 sirens are to be located near 22 towns and cities.”
https://tvpworld.com/77266311/estonia-begins-mass-emergency-siren-installations
Estonia processes citizens’ initiatives up to three times faster than Finland
(SITRA)
“In Finland, following the progress of citizens’ initiatives is complicated and requires knowledge of parliamentary work. Estonia has a single service that anyone can use to follow the process. …”
- Russia’s Forever War -
Russian Offensive Campaign
Assessment: 2. May 2024
(ISW)
“Ukrainian intelligence officials identified three Russian efforts to destabilize Ukraine and achieve victory.”
—
“Russian forces will likely begin an offensive effort towards Kharkiv and Sumy oblasts at the end of May or start of June 2024 but that Russian forces will not be able to take Kharkiv or Sumy cities.”
—
“US Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Avril Haines stated to US Senate Armed Services Committee on Global Threats on May 2 that Russian President Vladimir Putin believes that domestic and international trends are in his favor and views his personal staying power, the state of Russia’s economy, and Russian rearmament efforts as advantageous compared to the current challenges facing Ukraine.”
—
“… the Kremlin views information operations as a second line of effort to defeat Ukraine and that current Russian information operations heavily focus on undermining Ukrainian mobilization efforts and the legitimacy of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.”
https://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-may-2-2024
“How to Make Russia (and Its Enablers) Pay For Ukraine’s Reconstruction.” - ICDS, Feb. 2024
“Russia Says Captured Another Village in Eastern Ukraine.” - Moscow Times
“Ukraine’s line of defense under pressure as Russia gains footholds on the eastern front.” - Meduza
US precision-guided weapons fall prey to Russian GPS electronic warfare
(Defence One)
“U.S.-provided precision-guided munitions have failed in mission after mission in Ukraine, taken down by Russian electronic warfare. … very likely the Ground-Launched Small Diameter Bomb (GLSDB). The weapon relies on GPS to navigate to its targets.”
“Russian drones overwhelm US-made Abrams tanks, taken out of action.” - BNE
Ukrainian refugees are ending up homeless in Russia
(Meduza)
“After the start of the full-scale war, tens of thousands of Ukrainian refugees from Mariupol and other Russian-occupied Ukrainian territories ended up in St. Petersburg. Many hoped that in a big city, they’d have better chances of finding work and providing for their families. For some, however, this has proved impossible, and they’ve ended up on the streets.”
https://meduza.io/en/feature/2024/04/30/these-people-are-trapped
What Putin’s # 2 Believes About the West
By Leon Aron, The Atlantic
“Currently the head of Russia’s Security Council, Nikolai Patrushev has been a colleague of Vladimir Putin’s since the two served in the Leningrad KGB in the 1970s and is now the president’s confidant and top adviser. A general of the army and a former director of the FSB—the successor agency to the Soviet KGB—Patrushev is also the de facto overlord of the country’s other secret services. Among Kremlin courtiers, he alone appears licensed to speak for Putin on strategic matters, including nuclear weapons, the war in Ukraine, and Russia’s view of the U.S., Europe, and NATO..”
https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2024/04/patrushev-putin-paranoia-propaganda/678220/
“The World According to Patrushev.” - Harvard’s Belfer Center, Oct. 2022
“Patrushev Warns Russia's Neighbors They Will Face Chaos.” - Newsweek
“Patrushev: NATO is helping attacks on Russia from Ukraine.” - Reuters
“The man who has Putin’s ear and may want his job.” - Washington Post
The Next Six Months Will Be Critical for Moldova
(National Interest)
“After Ukraine, Moldova is the next line of defense against Russian aggression.”
—
“Moldova is a small, landlocked country in Eastern Europe that languished in obscurity until Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Moldova’s neighbor, Ukraine, two years ago. But while kinetic conflict has not yet reached Moldova’s border, Russia’s hybrid war is underway within their borders. This will only increase in the lead-up to Moldova’s Presidential election and EU referendum vote in the fall of this year. As Moldovan foreign minister Mihail Popsoi said last week in Washington, DC “It’s not an issue of whether Russia wants to invade, it’s only an issue of if they can.” Decisive action in the next six months will be crucial to protect Moldova’s independence.”
https://nationalinterest.org/feature/next-six-months-will-be-critical-moldova-210846
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