What to expect in Estonia in 2025
By Helen Wright, ERR
“ESTO 2025 (June 26 - July 2); Song and Dance Festival (July 3-6); rising taxes; a car tax; Estonia leaves Russia’s energy grid; Estonia scraps 1& 2 cent coins …”
https://news.err.ee/1609547467/what-to-expect-in-estonia-in-2025
“In 2025, it will be 500 years since the publication of the first book in Estonian.” - Eesti Kirjanduse Selts
“ESTO 2025 ‘Üheskoos’ - Stockholm, Narva, ja Tallinn.”
Ülemaailmne Eesti Kesknöukogl
“XXVIII laulu- ja XXI tantsupidu ‘Iseoma’ - Tallinnas
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EstoNews On-Line
https://estonewsoftheweek.blogspot.com/
EstoNews Dropbox Archive
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Arnold Rüütel, ‘a Washington for Estonia,’ Dead at Age 96
By Paul Goble
“He served as a senior official in the Estonian SSR during the occupation and later, in a variety of roles, including president of the Estonian Republic, played a key role in helping his country recover its rightful place in the world as part of the West. In reporting his death, Postimees noted that he had “not a few supporters and ill-wishers,” with many in both camps focusing only on one aspect of his public activities and ignoring the others.”
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“Many Estonians, especially in the emigration, could never forgive him for statements issued in his name attacking them and defending the Soviet Union; while many others, never forgave him for his role in ending the occupation of Estonia and leading his country into NATO and the European Union. That divide has prevented many from seeing him as a man in full. But that is changing and I believe it will continue to change. …”
Or:
http://windowoneurasia2.blogspot.com/2025/01/arnold-ruutel-washington-for-estonia.html
Former President of Estonia Arnold Rüütel passed away
(ERR | Postimees)
“The Office of the President of the Republic of Estonia announced President Rüütel's passing on Tuesday, New Year's Eve … He will be buried with full state honors, the president's office said.”
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“Arnold Rüütel was the second president of Estonia following the restoration of independence in 1991. He played a pivotal role in that journey to independence, notably contributing to the preparation and adoption of the Estonian Sovereignty Declaration on November 16, 1988, which asserted Estonia's self-governance.”
https://news.err.ee/1609564195/former-president-of-estonia-arnold-ruutel-passes-away
—
https://news.postimees.ee/8164494/former-president-of-estonia-arnold-ruutel-dies-at-96
“Aitäh, president Arnold Rüütel.” - Postimees juhtkiri
Ukraina Ust-Luga sadama rünnaku käigus Eesti õhuruumi ei puudutanud
(ERR)
“Ukraina ründas ööl vastu laupäeva droonidega Venemaa alasid Eesti piiri lähedal ja rünnaku alla jäi ka Ust-Luga sadam. Eksperdid ütlevad, et Eesti õhuruumi droonid ega õhutõrje ei puudutanud, sõjas oli aga tegu märgilise sündmusega.”
https://www.err.ee/1609567207/ukraina-ust-luga-sadama-runnaku-kaigus-eesti-ohuruumi-ei-puudutanud
Trump chooses Estonia-born lawyer as U.S. ambassador to the Baltic nation
(Politico)
“Pipko was born and raised in Estonia. ‘As a legal immigrant, he has lived the promise of America, and I trust that he will advance American interests in his new role,’ Trump wrote.”
https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2025/01/03/congress/trumps-estonia-pick-00196468
The Evolution of Baltic Military Divisions
By Lukas Milevski
Foreign Policy Research Institute
“… with Russian forces in the Baltic region largely drawn away to fight and die in Ukraine, defense forces in the Baltic states have become ever larger and can be measured not in battalions, nor even brigades, but in divisions: Each Baltic state is defended by at least one division. It is worth exploring what this looks like and what it means.”
https://fpribalticinitiative.substack.com/p/the-evolution-of-baltic-military
Estonia Strengthens Baltic Air Security Against Russia with a New Radar Installation on Hiiumaa
(Army Recognition)
“The radar, with its long-range detection capabilities, will play a critical role in countering potential intrusions into Estonian airspace. By extending monitoring beyond national borders, it provides early warning capabilities crucial for identifying and addressing potential threats, including unauthorized aerial activities. This initiative is part of a broader strategy to develop a cohesive surveillance network among Baltic states and European allies.”
Around the Baltic Sea
Farce then tragedy: Russian views of the West and what they mean for Ukraine
By Kadri Liik, ECFR
“Karl Marx wrote (citing Hegel) that historical facts and individuals appear “the first time as tragedy, the second time as farce”. One wonders, though, whether the opposite could also be true. The Putin-Trump summit in Helsinki in July 2018 sticks in the memory as the farcical apogee of a wobbly relationship: a roller-coaster of expectations and frustrations, ambitions and setbacks, but all in an often ludicrous atmosphere. Indeed, Trump’s erratic personality likely jolted his partners – including Putin – out of their habitual ways. It made them behave more cautiously and refrain from risk-taking.”
Finland Challenges Russian Sabotage
By Edward Lucas, CEPA
“A sharp example of this came on Christmas Day when a tanker carrying Russian oil, the Eagle S, destroyed the Estlink 2 power cable between Finland and Estonia. The Finnish Border Guard’s flagship, the Turva, had shadowed the Eagle S and caught it red-handed. Its dragging anchor had already severed several cables and was approaching the remaining Estlink 1 power cable and the Balticconnector gas pipeline, which was sabotaged last year. The Turva ordered Eagle S to head towards Finnish territorial waters, with permission from the Finnish government to seize it in international waters if necessary. It then launched a helicopter carrying police and a border-guard special intervention unit to board the vessel, which has now under guard in a Finnish harbour. …”
https://cepa.org/article/finland-challenges-russian-sabotage/
“Estonia joins Finland in cable damage probe as Eagle S is detained off Porvoo.” - ERR
“Finland's handling of Eagle S highlights Estonia's shortcomings.” - ERR
“Latvian President: the issue of Baltic Sea’s possible closure should remain on the table.” - BNN
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| Map: European Journal of International Law | 2025-01-04 |
Cable Cuts in the Baltic Sea
By Dr. Alexander Lott, EJIL
“In less than 14 months, submarine telecommunications cables connecting Estonia, Finland, Germany, Lithuania, Russia, and Sweden have been cut nine times in the Baltic Sea. In addition, an underwater electricity cable and a gas pipeline have been cut by a ship anchor. These damages occurred in three separate incidents all involving a foreign commercial ship dragging an anchor on the seafloor for over a hundred kilometres.”
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“The interdiction of the Eagle S by the Finnish Defence Forces and the Coast Guard sets a precedent that can be followed by other States in the future. It is significant for many reasons. Most importantly, it is the first time that the Baltic Sea coastal State has taken resolute steps against a commercial ship caught ‘red-handed’ for a suspected intentional damaging of the coastal State’s critical offshore infrastructure."
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“The Eagle S incident has led Estonia to consider avenues for increasing the legal certainty in respect of the protection of critical infrastructure outside the limits of the territorial sea. The Estonian Government convened a day after the Eagle S incident for an emergency meeting. At the press conference, the Estonian Prime Minister, the Minister of the Interior, and the Minister of Justice and Digital Affairs stressed the importance of changing the legal framework so that it would be better suited for addressing the security gap in respect of the protection of critical offshore infrastructure. The Estonian Prime Minister promised to raise this issue at the European Union and NATO levels.”
https://www.ejiltalk.org/christmas-day-cable-cuts-in-the-baltic-sea/
“Suspected Shadow Fleet Tanker Investigated for Baltic Power Cable Sabotage.” - The European Conservative
“NATO to enhance military presence in the Baltic Sea.” - NATO
“NATO’s Estonia deploys warship to Baltic Sea after Russia allegedly cut another undersea cable.” - NY Post, 30. Dec
“Polish PM announces moves to strengthen NATO's control over Baltic waters.” - Polish Press Agency
“After Estlink 2 cable damage, Finnish police discover 60-mile anchor drag mark on Baltic seabed.” - Meduza
- Economic Times
“Action by Finnish authorities prevented cable-sabotaging tanker from damaging Balticconnector pipeline.” - The Baltic Sentinel
“What should states do to combat the sabotage of submarine cables and pipelines beneath the high seas?” - By Thea Coventry, EJIL
Putin’s Forever War
The Putin regime is demanding from Ukraine almost exactly what Stalin demanded from the Baltic countries in 1939 and 1940 before moving to annex them completely
By Paul Goble
“Like Stalin with the Baltic countries 85 years ago, Putin is demanding that Ukraine adopt a friendly attitude toward Russia, that it not enter into any military-political blocs that Moscow opposes, and that it accept the presence on Ukrainian territory of a limited contingent of Russian forces.”
https://windowoneurasia2.blogspot.com/2025/01/putin-demanding-of-ukraine-now-what.html
Russia Sacrifices Everything
(Strategy Page)
“Ukraine is using some unique tactics to defeat the Russian invaders. The most damaging tactic is that when Russian troops attack, they suffer substantial casualties as the Ukrainians continually retreat before the Russians can reach them. … By the end of 2024 Russia had lost over 700,000 soldiers dead, disabled or missing. Over a million military age men fled Russia to avoid being forced to join the military and die in Ukraine.”
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“The Russian military, like the rest of the country, is experiencing an ever expanding culture of corruption. It even extends to the military, where troops receive substandard equipment when they receive anything at all. Medical and food supplies are stolen and sold on the black market by supply sergeants, while Russian officers sell drugs to their troops. They don’t want to win the war, just get rich as long as the fighting lasts. For too many Russian officers, including generals and government defense officials, corruption is their primary activity.”
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“So many Russian soldiers have been killed that Russia had to hire 12,000 North Korean mercenary troops. These soldiers are also being robbed by their own government, which keeps most of the pay these troops are supposed to receive and apparently told the Russians that these soldiers were expendable and they could do whatever they wanted with them.”
—
“Russia has had to sell nearly half of its gold reserves since 2023. The National Wealth Fund has also been depleted. … The war has impoverished Russia.”
https://www.strategypage.com/qnd/russia/articles/20241230173437.aspx#gsc.tab=0
“Russian Economy in 2025: 5 Key Things to Watch For.” - Moscow Times
“Russia's true leader is not Putin.” - Raul Rebane, Postimees
“The men who could succeed Vladimir Putin.” - The Week
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