Does Russia want to revise its water border with the Nordic and Baltic states?
(ICDS)
“Recent developments suggest that Moscow could be, on the one hand, sending threat messages, while on the other, it might also want to close off the waters. By doing so, it could try to gain full control over some areas in the Baltic Sea and the Gulf of Finland, especially around the Kaliningrad region, and sea transport routes between Russia and the exclave region, while also restricting access for its NATO neighbours. It is of particular strategic concern for Moscow …”
https://icds.ee/en/does-russia-want-to-revise-its-water-border-with-the-nordic-and-baltic-states/
Kas Venemaa tahab revideerida oma veepiiri Põhjamaade ja Balti riikidega?
(Diplomaatia, Aug. 2024)
“Viimaste kuude uudistest paistab, et Läänemere piirkonnas on hoogustunud Vene relvajõudude tegevus, võttes aeg-ajalt tavatuid vorme. Siit johtub küsimus, et kas tegu on pelgalt Venemaa infooperatsioonidega? Või soovib Moskva vastusena NATO hiljutisele laienemisele tugevdada piirkonnas oma sõjalist kohalolu ning saavutada kontrolli Läänemere strateegiliste punktide üle?”
https://diplomaatia.ee/kas-venemaa-tahab-revideerida-oma-veepiiri-pohjamaade-ja-balti-riikidega/
Ajaloo kõige soojem suvi möödus Eestis leebemalt ja sajusemalt
(Novaator)
“Tähelepanuväärselt algas Eestis selle aasta klimaatiline suvi juba 16. mail ja polnud septembri alguseks veel lõppenud. Suvi jõudis seega kohale kaks nädalat varem kui 1991.–2020. aastal keskmiselt ja kolm nädalat varem kui mullusel aastal. Eesti suve keskmine õhutemperatuur oli keskkonnaameti andmetel 17,8 °C. Varem on olnud sama soe 1937. ja 1972. aasta. Veel kõrgem on olnud Eesti suve keskmine õhutemperatuur kaheksal aastal.”
https://novaator.err.ee/1609446020/ajaloo-koige-soojem-suvi-moodus-eestis-leebemalt-ja-sajusemalt
“Climatologist: Occurrence of heatwaves has sharply increased in Estonia over the past 30 years.” - ERR
“Hotter summers set Lapland ablaze.” - Yle
GRU kätte langes kümneid tuhandeid AK-märkega dokumente
(ERR)
“2020. aastal langes Eesti ametiasutusi rünnanud Vene sõjaväeluure (GRU) häkkerite kätte suur hulk asutusesiseseks kasutamiseks mõeldud ehk AK-märkega infot. Lekkinud info seas on nii ettevõtete ärisaladusi kui ka tuhandete Eesti inimeste terviseandmeid. Eesti kuulutas kolm rünnakuga seotud GRU agenti tagaotsitavaks.”
https://www.err.ee/1609446254/gru-katte-langes-kumneid-tuhandeid-ak-markega-dokumente
—
https://www.err.ee/1609445333/venemaa-sojavaeluure-pani-toime-kuberrundeid-eesti-ametiasutuste-vastu
Estonia attributed 2020 cyberattacks against Estonia to the members of Unit 29155 of Russia’s military intelligence
(Välisministeerium | Postimees)
“It is the first time in history that Estonia has attributed cyberattacks against the state to the perpetrator of the attacks. The Prosecutor’s Office sought the arrest of three GRU officers and they are wanted internationally based on the arrest warrant issued by the Harju County Court. Estonia’s security agencies also provided support for an US investigation in connection with more extensive cyberattacks.”
—
“US, allied nations accuse Russia of cyberattacks against Ukraine and NATO.” - Politico
“Eesti omistas esimest korda riigivastased küberrünnakud kuriteo toimepanijatele, kelleks on Venemaa sõjaväeluure.” - Välisministeerium
____________
Viljandi’s old water tower photo:
https://paranull.blogspot.com/
EstoNews On-Line
https://estonewsoftheweek.blogspot.com/
EstoNews Dropbox Archive:
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/1kvd04gtar6ty2b/AADCUK2J_RXcMyIYf_sjnAwoa?dl=0
____________
NATO plan may hike Estonia's defense spending to 5%
(ERR)
“This July, Estonia and other NATO member states were assigned force capability goals based on NATO's new defense plans. Combined with its own national defense action plan, it's clear that Estonia needs to acquire additional new capabilities.”
—
“For example, we haven't currently needed to deal with chemical and biological weapons much within the Estonian Defense Forces (EDF)," Minister of Defense Hanno Pevkur explained. "We've focused on the idea that, if necessary, we can share this [responsibility] with the Rescue Board. But we may need to create some sort of capability there, and there's a bunch more capabilities that I truly cannot comment on. But the understanding is that these new capabilities also require additional money.”
—
“New plans have been made through the year 2044.”
____________
“Russia may have interfered with work of US spy drone in Estonian airspace.” - Postimees
“Mida teha pooltühjade vanglatega?” - Postimees
“What are prisons like in Estonia?” - The Independent
“EstLink 2 power interconnector resumes operation.” - Daily Finland
“Elektri hind on Eestis pärast Estlink 2 töölehakkamist igal päeval langenud.” - ERR
“Järva valda võib kerkida rohkem kui sada pea teletornikõrgust tuulikut.” - ERR
“How did a man from Estonia become a valuable prisoner for the Kremlin?” - ERR
“Estonia Receives Advanced TRG M10 Sniper Rifles From Finland.” - The Defense Post
“Estonian defence forces upgrade sniper capabilities.” - Estonian World
“Estonia becomes first Baltic state to join CERN.” - Physics World
“CERN welcomes Estonia as its 24th Member State.” - CERN press release
“Kyllike Sillaste-Elling is Estonia's new permanent representative to the EU.” - ERR
“Estonia Rejects Visas to 114 Foreign Students Due to Migration Concerns.” - Schengen News
“Putin and His Allies are Considering Invasion of 3 More Countries.” - The Daily Beast
“People in Estonia are getting married at later and later age.” - Eesti Statistika
Around the Baltic Sea
Russian sabotage of key undersea cables by secretive military unit seen as an increasing risk
(CNN)
“… Russia may now be more likely to carry out potential sabotage operations aimed at disabling a critical piece of the world’s communications infrastructure. The unit, the “General Staff Main Directorate for Deep Sea Research,” is known by its Russian acronym GUGI.”
—
“The seas around Northern Europe are a focus of such Russian military surveillance and activity. Last year, a joint investigation by the public broadcasters of Sweden, Denmark, Norway and Finland found that Russia has a fleet of suspected spy ships operating in northern European waters for potential sabotage of both undersea cables and wind farms.”
“Eestit küberrünnanud GRU üksus on kaost külvanud kogu maailmas.” - Postimees
____________
“Leedu asus kindlustama piiri Kaliningradiga.” - Postimees
“Russia should not be allowed to even start the operation to capture Suwałki.” - Postimees
“Finland and Estonia support removal of Ukraine arms restrictions.” - Yle
“UK government considering renting jail cells in Estonia.” - The Impartial Reporter
“Putin’s secret psychological warfare in Europe.” - Politico Europe
“Lithuania Extends $277 Million in Soft Loans to Spur Defense Industry.” - The Defense Post
“Finland to participate in first Nato nuclear weapons exercise: Steadfast Noon.” - Yle
“Protecting more old forests would make economic sense, Finland researchers argue.” - Helsinki Times
“Swedish and US marines practise amphibious landings in Stockholm's archipelago.” - Radio Sweden
“Sweden’s Foreign Minister Billstrom to step down.” - Politico Europe
“Eight Swedish Citizens Have Fallen in Ukraine Since February 2022.” - The Baltic Sentinel
“Poland reports another tense night due to Russian attacks on Ukraine.” - Euromaidan Press
“Tighter borders may threaten EU's Schengen idea.” - Deutsche Welle
“Nordic and Baltic Countries Turn Instagrammers Into Infantry.” - The Baltic Sentinel
- Putin’s Forever War -
Ukraine’s top commander defends Kursk offensive
(The Hill)
“Col. Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi, said Thursday that the Kursk offensive has been effective and the “strategy is working” to block Russian forces from taking more territory in eastern Ukraine. … Ukrainian forces have stalled the Russian advance in eastern Ukraine, including around the strategic railroad town of Pokrovsk.”
https://thehill.com/policy/defense/4864286-ukraine-kursk-offensive-russia-donetsk/
Vene strateegia vältimaks vastutust sõjakuritegude eest
(Diplomaatia)
“2024. aasta juuni lõpus väljastas Rahvusvaheline Kriminaalkohus (ICC) teist korda vahistamiskäsud seoses Venemaa täiemahulise sissetungiga Ukrainasse. Sedapuhku Venemaa endise kaitseministri Sergei Šoigu ja relvajõudude kindralstaabi ülema Valeri Gerassimovi kohta sõjakuritegude toimepaneku eest. Aasta varem kohaldas ICC sama meedet president Vladimir Putini ja lasteõiguste voliniku Venemaa Föderatsiooni presidendi juures Maria Lvova-Belova suhtes seoses nende sõjakuriteoga, laste ebaseadusliku küüditamise ja ümberasustamisega Ukraina okupeeritud aladelt.”
“Vene väed tapavad järjest rohkem alistuvaid Ukraina sõdureid.” - Postimees
“Kiviselg: rünnakute arvu kasvust hoolimata pole Venemaa suutnud edeneda.” - ERR
Lavrov Says 50 Countries Want to See Russia Dismembered
By Paul Goble
“Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov … made those remarks in a speech to his ministry’s chief training academy, the Moscow State Institute for International Relations (MGIMO). He clearly intends them to inform the views and actions of future Russian ambassadors, and they certainly reflect the Kremlin’s increasingly anti-Western position.”
http://windowoneurasia2.blogspot.com/2024/09/lavrov-says-50-countries-want-to-see.html
Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment September 5, 2024
(ISW)
“Russian President Vladimir Putin continues to downplay the theater-wide operational impacts of the Ukrainian incursion into Kursk Oblast and continues efforts to convince the Russian people that the Kremlin's delayed and disorganized response to the Kursk incursion is an acceptable price to pay for further Russian advances in Donetsk Oblast.”
—
“Russian forces have recently intensified their longstanding offensive effort to eliminate the broad Ukrainian salient west and southwest of Donetsk City and advance up to and along the H-15 (Donetsk City-Zaporizhzhia City) highway.”
https://www.iswresearch.org/2024/09/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment_5.html
“The Kremlin continues to lie about the Ukrainian advance in Kursk Oblast.” By Paul Goble
“Putin Puts Forth Resolute Indifference to Kursk Debacle.” - Jamestown Org
“Russia is accusing its own scientists of treason.” - France24
Has Ukraine’s Kursk offensive fail to distract Russia from Donbas push?
(France24)
“… some analysts question the wisdom of a Ukrainian lightning offensive on Russian soil that was intended to distract Moscow from its Donbas push.”
—
“The Ukrainian army remains in control of more than 1,000 square kilometres of land in Russia’s Kursk region, almost a month into a brazen cross-border incursion that offered Kyiv’s forces a much-needed morale boost – and dealt Russian President Vladimir Putin a humiliating blow.”
—
“Along eastern Ukraine’s sprawling front line, however, the Russian army has been notching up territorial gains, cutting deeper towards the city of Pokrovsk in Donetsk province, a crucial supply and reinforcement hub for Ukraine’s frontline troops, and claiming the capture of a nearby village on Wednesday.”
“Russian missile strike in Ukraine’s Poltava kills at least 51 people and injures over 200.” - Meduza
Meet Ukraine’s Palianytsia
(Meduza)
“Essentially, this missile consists of a tube with an engine in the tail, a tank for TS-1 jet fuel, wings, a GPS navigation control system, and a warhead containing several hundred kilograms of explosive. Thanks to its simplicity, this kind of device is cheap to produce. … about $50,000–$100,000 per unit, whereas western cruise missiles cost upwards of $1 million per unit. The Palianytsia can be launched from any flat surface — for example, a road. The cruise missiles provided by Ukraine’s partners, meanwhile, can only be launched from planes.”
https://meduza.io/en/feature/2024/08/30/meet-the-palianytsia
“Kremlin ‘can’t even defend Moscow,’ Muscovites say after Ukrainian drones hit the capital city.” By Paul Goble
“Palianytsia sidesteps prohibitions on using Western weapons to strike deep into Russia.” - Axios
“Drone attacks are changing the rules and the costs of the Ukraine war.” - The Conversation
“Ukraine’s Mysterious ‘Rocket Drone’ Targets Russian Air Force.” - Forbes
Estonian defence minister: FSB may have been behind explosions at defence plant in Germany
(Ukrainska Pravda)
“Estonian Defence Minister Hanno Pevkur considers the theory of Russia's involvement in the explosions at a military production facility in Germany to be highly plausible.” [An explosion reportedly occurred in Germany on 30. August at the Diehl Defence plant in the German city of Troisdorf.]
—
“He stated that Estonia had been facing hybrid attacks from Russia, including cyberattacks, since 2007. Initially, these were only cyberattacks, but they progressed to physical attacks and then explosions. He mentioned that there was clear evidence indicating these attacks were organised by the Russian government. He also suggested that Russia was testing the limits to see how far it could go before triggering Article 5 of NATO. The minister believes that similar activity is taking place in other NATO countries.”
https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2024/08/31/7472840/
“West should change ‘support for war’ to ‘support for Ukraine’s victory’.” - Euromaidan Press
“Ukraine foreign minister ‘told to resign’ in cabinet shake-up.” - The Times
Russia is producing new war memorials that glorify death for the motherland
(The Barents Observer)
“Like the many hundreds of memorials currently erected all over Russia, the new soldier statue in the far northern town of Lovozero embodies aggression and continued war. … The new monument design is firmly rooted in Soviet tradition. But many of the new memorials that now pop up across Russia express a new kind of militarism. And they are made in the middle of a war, not afterwards, as was mostly the case with WWII.”
—
“Hundreds of thousands of young Russian men are either killed of crippled and Moscow is ardently seeking to justify the mass losses. The memorials glorify battle and death for the motherland and are actively used in the authorities’ war propaganda. They express no peace and no reconciliation. On the contrary, they tell a story about a country preparing for continued war.”
Russia spends billions on protecting its border. Why is it so easy to break through?
(Meduza)
“… there have been fewer and fewer people directly guarding the border with each passing year. Though the exact number of border guards is classified, there were around 200,000 as of 1987. In 2003, Russia decommissioned a third of its border troops, replacing them with surveillance cameras, sensors, and other new technologies. According to former FSB Border Guard Service chief Vladimir Pronichev, border guards rely on alarm systems, radar stations, and drones. “Today, border security is reminiscent of a video game,” Russian Border Service reserve colonel Sergey Banchenko said in 2022.”
—
“According to Banchenko, one of Russia’s defense systems, known as “Rubikon,” is made up of a network of sensors located in the trace-control strip (a plowed area in the middle of the buffer zone between the borders of two countries).”
—
“The Russian authorities admit that they can’t control the border without the help of the local population. In 2022, the government allocated nearly 90 million rubles (equivalent to more than $983,000 today) to fund “people’s guards” in the Belgorod region. The money was supposed to go towards protective equipment and salaries, but the patrollers earn only 150 rubles ($1.65) per hour — and they aren’t always paid regularly. By all appearances, the holes in the Russian border won’t be plugged any time soon.”
Putin’s inability to protect the Russian population
(The Conversation)
“The Battle of Kursk of 1944 was a decisive Soviet victory in the “Great Patriotic War,” as many Russians refer to World War II. It is a potent symbol of the sacrifice and victory that has become part of Russia’s national identity under Putin. As such, Ukraine’s rapid advance though the region in recent weeks – during which it captured dozens of settlements and Russian soldiers – has been a major blow to Moscow. Russian media was quick to compare the invasion of Kursk with that of Nazi Germany, invoking the gravitas of the situation.”
—
“Yet, Putin’s response has been slow and, to many observers, puzzling. After several days of silence and avoidance, a visibly upset Putin held a televised meeting with top security officials and regional governors, in which he promised a “worthy response” and payment of 10,000 rubles (US$150) for residents displaced by the incursion. But there was no mass evacuation or clear guidance to the Kursk population until several days later. …”
__________
_____
__
