Record low of 9,646 births were registered in Estonia in 2024
(BNN | Estonian World)
"According to the Interior Ministry, 4,744 girls and 4,902 boys were born in 2024. A total of 142 twin pairs were registered: 35 boy pairs, 54 girl pairs and 53 mixed pairs. One set of triplets was also registered. The highest number of births was registered in Tallinn, where 3,219 newborns were registered. Harju County with 1,475 births and Tartu County with 1,400 births followed.”
https://bnn-news.com/less-than-10-000-registered-newborns-in-estonia-in-2024-264018
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“Eesti rahvaarv langes.” - Estonian World Review
“Estonia's population fell by 5,400 in 2024.” - ERR
“Having kids has become a political matter in Estonia.” - ERR
“Eesti rahvaarvu languse vastu ei aita ka ränne.” - Postimees
“Eestis sündinud laste arv jätkab kukkumist.” - Estonian World Review
“1,369,285 inimest: Eesti rahvaarv esialgsetel andmetel langes.” - Eesti Statistika
“Laste edukus sõltub järjest rohkem vanemate rahakotist. See sündimusele kaasa ei aita.”
Ester Karuse, Riigikogu liige (SDE) - Arvamus
Estonia's housing prices rose 230%
(ERR)
“ … over the past 14 years, the highest of the 20 member states with comparable data. It shared the top spot on the list with Hungary which recorded the same increase. During the same period, house prices more than doubled in Lithuania (+181%), Latvia (+154 %), Czechia (+135 %), Austria (+114 %), Portugal (+113 %), Bulgaria (+110 %) and Luxembourg (+103 %).”
https://news.err.ee/1609572427/estonia-tops-eu-s-housing-price-rise-index
“Eleven Exclusive Homes for Sale in Estonia.” - Sotheby’s International Realty
“Statistics: Fewer people in their 20s live in Estonia now than in 2014.” - ERR
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Cover Photo:
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Stroomi_Rand._Talv.jpg
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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The number of illegal border crossings between Estonia and Russia has fallen
(ERR)
“… by 43% last year, data from the Police and Border Guard Board show. The figures are in line with the European Union-wide trend but are significantly lower than in countries closer to home.”
https://news.err.ee/1609577857/estonia-s-irregular-border-crossings-almost-halved-in-2024
Report: Russia Minorities in Baltics Told to Fit In or Face Consequences
By Ott Tammik, Bloomberg
“Native Russian speakers, who make up almost 30% of Estonia’s population, have found themselves in the government’s crosshairs.”
https://www.yahoo.com/news/push-stamp-russian-influence-europe-050006178.html
Survey: Fact-checkers have not earned Estonians' trust
(Postimees)
“A recent survey has found that Estonian citizens mostly perceive fact-checkers as being more politically biased than trustworthy. … In the latest poll for the Institute for the Study of Societal Issues, respondents were asked whether they agree or disagree with this view. Of the respondents, 21% said ‘no’ or ‘rather no’, while 45% said ‘rather yes’ or ‘yes’ meaning they agreed with Zuckerberg's opinion. In addition, 35% of respondents said they had no opinion on the matter.”
https://news.postimees.ee/8173832/survey-fact-checkers-have-not-earned-estonians-trust
US soldiers from 7th Cavalry Regiment move into €21-million Võru barracks
(ERR)
“The unit is focused on enhancing coordination with Estonian forces, particularly in armored vehicle operations and night-time exercises. … The 7th Cavalry Regiment traces its lineage back to the immediate post-Civil War period, and an early commander was Lt Col. George Custer, no less. It forms a part of the U.S. Army's 1st Cavalry Division.”
Estonia and Lithuania Slam US Curbs On AI Chip Exports
(Barrons)
“The outgoing US administration unveiled the new export rules on Monday in its latest effort to make it tough for China and other rivals to access the advanced technology. But the rules do not treat all members of NATO and the European Union equally, as certain countries including France and Germany are exempted while many others including Estonia, Lithuania and Poland are not.”
https://www.barrons.com/news/estonia-slams-harmful-us-curbs-on-ai-chip-exports-a0759a5d
How Estonia Found Itself on the Front Lines of GNSS Interference in Europe
By Tereza Pultarova, ‘Via Satellite’
“Experts caution that GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) jamming in Estonia and other countries bordering with Russia are just the beginning and fixes are needed to make the signals more secure. … Whether the disturbances in countries like Estonia are an overspill from Russia’s attempts to deny Ukraine access to GNSS is not clear. Estonia has publicly accused Russia of violating international rules.”
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“Estonia seeks to close its border with Russia.” - RBC Ukraine
“Official inflation in Estonia was 3.5% in 2024.” - Estonian World
“Estonia greenlights Smart-ID app for voter IDV.” - Biometric Update
“Fermi Energia files request to initiate nuclear power plant location studies.” - Postimees
“Estonia: A Fine Model of E-governance for the World.” - CSR Universe
“Estonia makes progress with targeted financial sanctions on terrorism and terrorist financing.” - Council of Europe,
“Sabotage won’t stop Baltic split from Russian grid – Estonia.” - Montel
“Väiksed vesinik-generaatorid võivad tulevikus kaitseväelaste droone laadida.” - Novaator
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Around the Baltic Sea
Russia's military buildup near Finland stalls amid Ukraine war
(Helsinki Times)
“Russia’s efforts to bolster military strength near the Finnish border face significant setbacks as the war in Ukraine consumes its manpower and resources, according to Finland’s Defence Intelligence Agency. The agency’s latest public report outlines the challenges Russia faces in achieving its military expansion goals in the region.”
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“Before the invasion of Ukraine, Russia stationed approximately 30,000 ground troops in the Leningrad Military District near Finland. Moscow plans to double or triple this number by 2026, but intelligence suggests these ambitions are far from being realised.”
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“They are nowhere near their target,” said Pekka Turunen, head of Finnish Defence Intelligence. “The war in Ukraine is draining their resources, preventing significant reinforcements in the western regions.”
Poland and Lithuania Lead Baltic Sea Region Defense Spending in 2025
(Baltic Sentinel | SWJ)
“Poland and Lithuania lead Baltic Sea nations in projected 2025 defense spending, approaching 5% and 4% of GDP, followed by Latvia (3.45%) and Estonia (3.3%). … The sense of urgency felt in Europe is not uniform. The countries closest to Russia—the Baltic and Nordic states have prioritized defense, while Germany and other wealthy European countries are underperforming. If all NATO countries spent 2% of GDP on defense, that would materialize in approximately $43.5 billion in extra funding.”
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https://smallwarsjournal.com/2025/01/16/pax-polska-poland-is-primed/
“Lithuania vows to raise defence spending to 5-6% of GDP.” - Euronews
“Spend more on defense or ‘get out your Russian language courses’.” - Meduza
“Poland is Primed to Become the Backbone of Europe’s Security.” - SWJ
Helsinki NATO Summit:
Baltic Sea Security
(Yle | ERR | NATO | AP)
"Finnish President Alexander Stubb co-hosted the Baltic Sea Nato Allies Summit alongside Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal in Helsinki on Tuesday. The summit brought together the leaders of the eight Nato nations with a Baltic Sea coastline. … NATO will launch a new military monitoring mission in the Baltic Sea to increase the protection of undersea infrastructure, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said in Helsinki.”
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https://news.err.ee/1609575916/nato-to-launch-new-infrastructure-monitoring-mission-in-baltic-sea
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https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/news_232122.htm
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https://apnews.com/article/nato-finland-baltic-undersea-cables-b8d351fa018d703fe9dbc50459211e61
"Nato ships arrive in Finnish Gulf.” - Yle
“Tensions Under the Baltic Sea.” - German Marshall Fund
"Lithuania sends 2 ships for NATO mission in Baltic Sea.” - Daily Finland
“NATO unveils Baltic Sentry pipeline security mission.” - Deutsche Welle
“Russia lacks resources to bolster its military presence near Finland.” - Yle
Baltic Allies Met in Helsinki for a Snap Security Summit
(LSM)
“In the current situation, strong countermeasures are needed against the threat posed by Russia in the Baltic Sea. International maritime law, including freedom of navigation, must be balanced with the rights of coastal states to protect their infrastructure.”
“Press Conference Video: NATO Secretary General with the President of Finland and the PM of Estonia.” - NATO via YouTube (36 minutes)
“Joint press conference transcript: Baltic Sea NATO Summit.” - NATO
“NATO Moves To Enhance CUI Surveillance Activity In Baltic Sea.” - Naval News
Nordics and Baltics ask EU to tighten price cap on Russian oil
(Euronews)
“Measures that target revenues from the export of oil are crucial since they reduce Russia's single most important income source," the foreign ministers of Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania and Sweden wrote in a joint letter seen by Euronews. The document, dated 11 January, is addressed to High Representative Kaja Kallas and European Commissioner for Financial Services Maria Luís Albuquerque.”
Women in Baltic Politics and Political Leadership
(Foreign Policy Research Institute)
“With the election of Evika Siliņa in September 2023 as Latvia’s prime minister, all three Baltic prime ministerships were held by women for about ten months — a historical first in the Baltic states’ politics.”
https://fpribalticinitiative.substack.com/p/women-in-baltic-politics-and-political
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“Rootsi plaanib sisserändepoliitikas kannapööret.” - Postimees
“Lithuania ranks among top ten fastest-depopulating countries.” - OSW
“Sweden to test new drone swarm technology.” - Reuters
“Finland's climate warming faster than global average.” - Yle
“Swedish forestry giant “Sodra” plans to sell 153,000 ha of woods in Baltic States.” - BNN
“Moscow Accuses Lithuania of Provoking Territorial Dispute Over Kaliningrad.” - The Moscow Times, 10. Jan
“NATO braces itself for Putin’s post-Ukraine plans.” - The Sunday Guardian
“Swedish wooden cottage dubbed ‘Moonhouse’ on the way to the Moon.” - Radio Sweden
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Putin’s Forever War
Wider War Has Already Started in Europe
By Phillips Payson O’Brien, The Atlantic
“Soon after Estlink 2 was sabotaged, Finnish authorities seized the oil tanker Eagle S, which was en route from St. Petersburg, Russia, to Egypt. … Finnish authorities concluded that the Eagle S had dragged its anchor across the Baltic Sea bed for “dozens of kilometers” to break the Estlink 2 line. The Eagle S apparently had a covert military purpose as well: Investigators discovered that the vessel was crammed full of advanced surveillance equipment, which used so much power that the ship suffered from periodic blackouts.”
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“Still, in this and other cases across the continent, European officials seem terrified of admitting what is happening. Authorities in multiple countries are investigating parcels that spontaneously caught fire or exploded in the custody of cargo airlines, perhaps in preparation for a broader operation that would threaten many large aircraft. Saboteurs have targeted a number of other strategically significant assets in Europe—munitions factories, crucial rail lines—along with civilian infrastructure such as warehouses and malls.”
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“The inability to describe acts of war as acts of war is part of a culture of distortion and denial regarding the subject of state-sponsored violence.”
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“Many in Europe avoid describing Russia’s sabotage campaign outside Ukraine as war because they’d rather not have to do anything in response.”
“Russian Arms Exports Collapse by 92% as Military-Industrial Complex Fails.” - Jameston Org.
“After the War in Ukraine, European Boots on the Ground?” - Rand Org.
“Russia plotted terror attacks on airlines around the world, Poland’s Tusk says” - Politico Europe
“The war has become routine in Ukrainian people’s minds.” - Meduza
“Ukraine to receive 30,000 FPV drones thanks to Nato nations.” - UK Forces
2025 Victory Day spectacle to frame the Ukraine invasion as ‘the new Great Patriotic War’
(Meduza)
“While concrete plans are few and far between, sources suggest that soldiers returning from Ukraine will take center stage, with the Kremlin working to draw parallels between its “special military operation” in Ukraine and the Soviet fight against fascism during WWII. The Kremlin is also reportedly hoping to attract major Western guests to its Moscow parade — perhaps even extending an invitation to Donald Trump.
https://meduza.io/en/feature/2025/01/16/different-generations-fighting-fascism
Talking about Annexing Greenland Legitimizes Moscow’s Actions in Ukraine
By Paul Goble
“Pro-Kremlin bloggers are delighted with US President Elect Donald Trump’s suggestion that he will annex Greenland, not only because in their view it undermines the past international order and divides the West but first and foremost because it legitimizes what Moscow is doing in Ukraine and led other countries to talk about expanding borders.”
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“And if Trump then absorbs Canada, one of their number asks, “why then can’t we do the same with the Baltic countries?”
https://windowoneurasia2.blogspot.com/2025/01/by-talking-about-annexing-greenland-pro.html
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