Russia's intelligence interest in Estonia remains consistent
By Margo Palloson
(ERR)
“Further deterioration of the security environment in our region is a real possibility, largely due to Russia,” wrote Margo Palloson, director general of the Estonian Internal Security Service in the agency's newly published yearbook. “Nevertheless, we can confidently affirm that Estonia is a safe country that continues to grow stronger every year.”
Estonian Internal Security Service Annual Review 2024-2025
(ISS)
“The Kremlin’s support base in Estonia, primarily consisting of older residents, is in decline. As a result, Russia is shifting its influence operations towards younger Russian-speaking Estonians. It is essential that we protect these young people from being swayed by Russian propaganda.”
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“As Kremlin-controlled media faces increasing restrictions, Russian propaganda efforts have shifted to social media. We are observing a rise in deepfakes and manipulations driven by artificial intelligence and algorithms. Social media shapes people’s perceptions of the world and determines the information bubbles into which users are funnelled. As a result, users can become trapped in echo chambers or dis-information loops, with increasingly limited ability to verify what they see. Critical thinking remains the only reliable antidote to this issue.”
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“Recent amendments to Estonia’s Information Society Services Act enable more decisive intervention against harmful content. However, we must also develop a comprehensive action plan to prevent radicalisation. The government must closely monitor hostile influence operations and violent extremist propaganda on social media. Although the threat of terrorism in Estonia remains low, even one attack would be unacceptable. …”
https://kapo.ee/sites/default/files/content_page_attachments/annual-review-2024-2025.pdf
“Kaitsepolitseiamet Aastaraamat 2024 - 2025.” - Eesti keeles (PDF)
EU Defence Series: The White Paper for European Defence Readiness 2030
(ICDS)
“The Commission presented its White Paper on defence on 19. March at a press conference with the Commissioner for Defence and Space, Andrius Kubilius, and the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas. This document is part of a dynamic that has been at work since the outburst of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, namely the greater priority given to defence within the EU.”
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“Published quickly—just 100 days after the confirmation of the Commissioner for Defence and Space—the document is short (23 pages) but has the merit of proposing concrete solutions to advance the readiness of EU Member States (MS) in the short term, i.e. between now and 2030 in the areas of defence industry (in particular to fill capability gaps, by producing more, faster and collectively), financing the defence effort, developing partnerships with other states around the world, and, of course, continuing to provide substantial support to Ukraine, which is currently the frontline of European defence.”
https://icds.ee/wp-content/uploads/dlm_uploads/2025/04/Paire-White-Paper.pdf
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Cover cartoon (modified):
https://www.cartoonstock.com/directory/r/russia_card.asp
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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Arvamus: Läänemere piirkond kui Euroopa tuleviku mudel
Harri Tiido, ERR
“Vikerraadio saatesarjas "Harri Tiido taustajutud" on seekord vaatluse all Oliver Moody nägemus Läänemere äärsetest riikidest. Moody sõnul oli Balti regioon aastaid kusagil lääne kujutlusvõime äärealadel, kuigi tegelikult on see ju Euroopa südames. … Moody sõnul oli Balti regioon aastaid kusagil lääne kujutlusvõime äärealadel. Kuigi tegelikult on see ju Euroopa südames. Ja geopoliitika kese on praegu nihkumas ida poole. Läänemeri on muutumas Euraasias käiva laiema suure mängu sõlmpunktiks.”
https://www.err.ee/1609666118/harri-tiido-laanemere-piirkond-kui-euroopa-tuleviku-mudel
Russia Is Trying to Push Narva River’s Borders
By Elisabeth Braw
(Foreign Policy)
“Almost a year ago, Russian border guards removed half the buoys that had been placed to mark the border between Russia and Estonia in the Narva River. Estonia’s government has repeatedly (and politely) reminded Russia to return the buoys, without which users of the Narva River have no way of knowing on which side of the border they are. Perhaps unsurprisingly, Russia has failed to do so. Altering maritime borders is no trivial matter—especially when Russia is using force to try to redraw the map of Europe.”
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“The buoys place Estonia in a conundrum. Russian nationalists have long indicated that they want to retake the Baltic states, annexed by force in 1940 and not freed until 1991, and they have plenty of advocates in the Kremlin. Removing border buoys is hardly the equivalent of a full-blown invasion, but it’s also not a negligible act. It is, in other words, gray-zone aggression—or, as former Estonian President Toomas Hendrik Ilves calls it, geopolitical microaggression. “It’s another silly game the Russians play,” he said. “Just in the past few months, we’ve seen them put explosives in sex toys in Lithuania, we’ve seen the shadow fleet, we’ve seen cable cuts, and at the moment there’s a lot of GPS jamming in Estonia. It’s a constant policy of harassment. They’re letting us know that they’re there and can be a problem.”
https://foreignpolicy.com/2025/04/16/russia-estonia-narva-river-buoys-borders/
Estonia’s first purpose-built bomb shelter in operation in Võrumaa
(ERR)
“A bomb shelter built in the basement of a new volunteer rescue depot building in Võru County is the first of its kind in Estonia and built to Finnish standards, with ventilation, water and electricity. The depot building and shelter, in the village of Luutsniku, Rõuge municipality, close to the Latvian border, cost nearly €700,000 to construct, and local residents also contributed greatly to its completion. The shelter's basement rooms are encased with a layer of concrete several meters thick, and the facility is equipped with ventilation, water and electricity systems, meaning the entire village could take shelter there in a war or emergency situation if needed.”
https://news.err.ee/1609663823/first-purpose-built-bomb-shelter-opens-in-south-estonian-village
“In Estonia, starting in 2026, new buildings will be required to be built with shelters.” - Militarnyi
“Latvia to equip over 500 bomb shelters using EU funding.” - LSM
“Lithuania claims to have 4,438 shelters available.” - BNN
“Finland counted its bomb shelters and found 50,500 of them.” - Reuters
“Sweden to Invest $36M in Bomb Shelters.” - The Defence Post
“Norway’s bomb shelters have been branded as outdated and suffering from a chronic lack of maintenance.” - NewsInEnglish
Conflict between Estonian Government and Moscow Church Intensifies
By Paul Goble
"The Estonian parliament has adopted a law that requires that what had been the Estonian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate not only change its name and end its financial and administrative ties to the Moscow Patriarchate but sever its canonical ones to that church and subordinate itself to the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople.”
—
“Both the Estonian Orthodox Christian Church as the EOC MP is now known as a result of earlier Tallinn actions and the Moscow Patriarchate are outraged at what they both see as unwarranted and illegal state intervention in the religious life of the church and say they cannot and will not agree …”
https://windowoneurasia2.blogspot.com/2025/04/conflict-between-estonian-government.html
Russia says new Estonian legislation threatens Baltic shipping security
(Reuters)
“Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Thursday that Estonia's adoption of legal amendments allowing the country's navy to use force against foreign vessels was a provocative action that poses risks to shipping and security in the Baltic Sea.”
ISS director: May 9 expected to pass peacefully in Estonia
(ERR)
“May 9, when Russia celebrates the end of World War Two, is not expected to create additional work for the Internal Security Service, the agency's Director General Margo Palloson has said. Europe and Russia commemorate the end of World War II on different days. … As Russia uses May 9 for propaganda purposes, the events are monitored by the Estonian security services. … and those marking it in Estonia are falling in number every year.”
https://news.err.ee/1609665926/iss-director-may-9-expected-to-pass-peacefully-in-estonia
Damaged Finland-Estonia undersea cable expected back in operation by mid-July
(Reuters | ERR)
“Repair work on the damaged subsea power line EstLink 2 that runs between Finland and Estonia will start in May and is expected to return to commercial use on July 15. … Finnish authorities in December seized a ship carrying Russian oil in the Baltic Sea on suspicion it caused the outage of the undersea power cable as well as four internet lines.”
—
https://news.err.ee/1609666190/estlink-2-repair-work-starts-in-may-scheduled-back-on-line-in-july
“Eesti–Soome elektriühenduse EstLink 2 remonditööd algavad maikuus.” - Estonian World Review
Riigikogu andis kaitseväele suuremad volitused jõu kasutamiseks merel
(ERR)
“Merealuse taristu lõhkumisest lähtuvalt andis riigikogu kaitseväele suuremad volitused jõu kasutamiseks. Seadused sätestavad ka käsu andmise jõu kasutamiseks ja vastutuse. Siiski peavad otsustajad lähtuma kainest mõistusest ütleb riigikogu riigikaitsekomisjoni esimees Kalev Stoicescu.”
https://www.err.ee/1609666541/riigikogu-andis-kaitsevaele-suuremad-volitused-jou-kasutamiseks-merel
“Kinnipeetud tanker Kiwala jääb veel teadmata ajaks Eesti vetesse.” - ERR
“Opinion: Estonia's successful test of strength.” - Postimees
“Ülevaade: Millised tankerid Soome lahes seilavad?” - Postimees
“Estonian authorities found 40 deficiencies on a sanctioned shadow fleet tanker detained on Friday.” - Trade Winds
“Russia plays it cool on Estonia’s ‘shadow fleet’ ship seizure.” - Asia Times
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“Siseministeerium valmistab ette relvaomamise korra olulist muutust.” - ERR
"Tuleoht suureneb üle Eesti, Peipsiääre vallas lõke juba põhjustas kulupõlengu.” - Tartu Postimees
“Estonia: The beating heart of Europe’s Space Cyber Response.” - Via Satellite
“Tähelepanu: Liitlasvägede kolonnid liiguvad Eesti teedel.” - Postimees
“Book Review: ‘Same River, Twice’ by Sofi Oksanen.” - The Guardian
“Eestivene noori kannustab karjäär ja tunnustusvajadus.” - Novaator
“Estonian travelers not cutting back on spring vacation spending.” - ERR
“Estonia needs to increase defense capabilities so no one tries to test us.” - ERR
“Estonia: A Model of Educational Success with Innovative Solutions.” - The Munich Eye
“GPS signal disruption in Estonia persists: No danger to civil aviation.” - ERR
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‘High aggressiveness’: Russia singles out Poland, Baltics in latest threat to NATO
(Kyiv Independent | Aljazeera)
“Any NATO aggression against Russia or Belarus would have damaging consequences for Poland and the Baltic countries of Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia, Russia's Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) Director Sergey Naryshkin said on April 15.”
—
"These countries have shown "high aggressiveness" towards Russia, he said, accusing Poland and the Baltics of "constantly rattling their weapons." Naryshkin singled out Poland for its plans to install anti-personnel mines along the border with Belarus and Russia's heavily militarized Kaliningrad exclave, as well as Warsaw's request for the U.S. to deploy nuclear weapons in Poland.”
https://kyivindependent.com/first-to-suffer-russia-singles-out-poland-baltics-in-threat-to-nato/
—
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/4/15/russian-spy-chief-threatens-poland-and-baltic-states
Around the Baltic Sea
Looking for Traces of the Baltic Germans
(Deep Baltic)
“Following the crusades to the then-pagan Baltic region that started in the 13th century, German-speaking knights became the landowning class in both Estonia and Latvia, retaining their influence locally even as political control shifted to Poland, Sweden and later Russia. Often dominant in the cities, Baltic Germans also asserted control in the countryside, ruling from manor houses over generally Estonian and Latvian speaking peasants.”
—
“Much of the physical evidence of their presence disappeared during the 1905 revolution, which was particularly violent in Latvia and which led to many manors burning to the ground. Then, the community departed, almost in its entirety, in the aftermath of the secret Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union that carved up Eastern Europe, as Hitler – aware that the Baltics would soon be occupied by the Soviet Union – encouraged Germans to leave for the Reich, assigning many lands in occupied Poland.”
https://deepbaltic.com/2025/02/13/storks-and-larches-looking-for-the-baltic-germans-traces/
Baltic-Polish Military Border Fortifications Echo Pre-War Defenses Destroyed by Stalin and Hitler
(The Baltic Sentinel)
“In the interwar period (1918–1939), Poland and the three Baltic states (Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania) faced existential threats from larger neighbors, prompting efforts to fortify their borders. Each country developed defensive lines or fortified zones tailored to its geography and strategic concerns. These fortifications ranged from concrete bunkers and artillery batteries to trench systems, anti-tank obstacles, and deliberately flooded zones. By the outbreak of World War II in 1939, however, the scope and readiness of these defenses varied widely.”
—
“Estonia had begun fortifying its narrow land border and had a formidable coastal artillery defense, yet its land bunkers were unfinished when the Soviet tide arrived. … After World War II, the Soviet Union occupied the Baltic states and dominated Poland and many other neighboring nations, demolishing existing border fortifications and installations on their eastern border.”
Kallas warns European leaders not to go to Russia’s WWII victory day celebrations
(Politico Europe)
“The European Union’s top diplomat Kaja Kallas warned European leaders on Monday against participating in Moscow’s military celebrations on May 9, inviting them to show solidarity with Ukraine instead. According to Russian media, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s government has extended invitations to the leaders of China, India and Brazil — as well as to EU country Slovakia and to Serbia, which aspires to join the 27-member bloc.”
“Kaja Kallase ja 9. mail Moskvasse minna soovivate riigijuhtide vahel on tekkinud sõnasõda.” - Postimees Arvamus
Europe’s new war with Russia: Deep sea sabotage
(Politico Europe)
“We are witnessing a new reality,” said Lithuanian Energy Minister Žygimantas Vaičiūnas. ‘We have more and more incidents in the Baltic Sea, which could have an impact for markets, for consumers and also for our businesses.’ So far, authorities have failed to conclusively show Moscow was behind any of the incidents. But ‘such sabotage activities in the current circumstances could be seen as useful for Russia … that’s the only interpretation,’ Vaičiūnas has said.”
https://www.politico.eu/article/russia-sabotage-undersea-cables-baltic-sea-europe-war/
“Sweden wants to do more to protect Baltic cables.” - Radio Sweden
“Estonia detains Russia-bound oil tanker found to have dozens of safety violations.” - Novaya Gazeta
“Estonia Says Russian 'Shadow Fleet' Tanker Can't Sail Without Resolving 40 Deficiencies.” - The Moscow Times
Sea-Sick: the Not-So-Secret War
By Edward Lucas, CEPA
“… Russian undersea warfare poses a serious threat to national security. Russia is planting a network of devices to track the movement of the Royal Navy’s nuclear submarines. Russian oligarchs’ super-yachts may be used for electronic surveillance work. Neither “revelation” is surprising. We have known too for years that Russia is placing sabotage equipment on the seabed. The real story is not about Russian mischief or malign intent. It is about the failure of Britain and similar countries to build proper defense and deterrence.”
https://cepa.org/article/sea-sick-the-not-so-secret-war/
The U.S. President and the Baltic States
(Baltic Ways podcast, 49 mins.)
“The Baltic Ways podcast welcomes back professors Margarita Šešelgytė (Vilnius University), Daunis Auers (University of Latvia), and Andres Kasekamp (University of Toronto) for a roundtable discussion on the first two months of the U.S. President’s second term and the US administration’s impact on the Baltic countries and broader Europe. (Recorded March 14, 2025).
https://fpribalticinitiative.substack.com/p/trump-20-and-the-baltic-states
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“Finland keeps border with Russia closed until further notice.” - Yle
“Millions watch as Swedish elk begin annual migration.” - BBC
“Sweden watches live stream of ‘The Great Moose Migration’.” - Guardian
“Finland bans property sales to non-resident Russians over security concerns.” - Helsinki Times
“EU has secured 'two-thirds' of €5 billion ammunition goal for Ukraine, Kaja Kallas says.” - Euronews
“Finland warns citizens against US travel amid security and rights concerns.” - Helsinki Times
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Putin’s Forever War
Moscow's spring offensive begins
(Meduza | ISW | Defense Blog)
“Russian forces launch their first major operation since the battle for Sudzha with a thrust toward Kostiantynivka.”
https://meduza.io/en/feature/2025/04/15/moscow-s-spring-offensive-begins
—
https://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-april-15-2025
—
https://defence-blog.com/russia-renews-assault-on-southern-ukraine-despite-ceasefire-talk/
“Russia Attempts Major Assault in Southern Zaporizhzhia.” - Moscow Times
“Expert: Without US supplies, Ukraine’s Patriot systems will become ‘piles of metal’ unable to stop Russian ballistic missiles.” - Euromaidan Press
“Photos: The Kursk Region Town of Sudzha Following Ukraine's Withdrawal.” - Moscow Times
“Russian assault groups in Donetsk ran into a wall of drones.” - Forbes
“Drones wiped out Russia’s 70-Year-Old Assault Trucks.” - Forbes
Russia continues to throw troops into a meat grinder in Ukraine
(Task & Purpose)
“As the Russian invasion of Ukraine grinds on in its third year, Russia’s military has suffered staggering losses. Yet, even as tanks burn and casualty counts reach the hundreds of thousands, Russia continues to pour troops into the meatgrinder.”
https://taskandpurpose.com/video/russia-ukraine-war-losses-video/
Repressive injustice in Putin’s Russia has led to regional opposition movements
By Danill Martikainen-Iarlykovskii
(Novaya Gazeta)
“Intense crackdowns on the Russian opposition began shortly after the war in Ukraine started, as the government enacted aggressive new laws meting out harsh punishments for anyone challenging its monopoly on power.”
—
“While these measures undoubtedly weakened Russia’s mainstream political opposition and saw nearly all its leaders either forced into exile, imprisoned, or worse, they have also heralded the emergence of new movements seeking greater autonomy and even independence for the regions that make up the vast Russian Federation. Though these groups remain on the fringes of mainstream politics in most cases, the upsurge of regionalist and separatist ideas in Russia in the past few years is undeniable.”
https://novayagazeta.eu/articles/2025/04/16/dusk-over-the-empire-en
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