The Northern Voices
“Tallinn and Riga are tightening language laws, curbing Kremlin-linked organizations, and reinforcing social unity as a matter of national survival.”
—
“For Estonians and Latvians abroad, especially in North America, these developments are more than headlines—they’re reminders of why their parents fled, and why safeguarding their homelands remains a shared mission across oceans. … These expatriate communities preserved their languages and culture in exile and lobbied Western governments to not forget the Baltic nations' plight.”
—
“Today, as Estonia and Latvia face down an aggressive Russia once again, diaspora communities from Toronto to New York find themselves rallying in support. They follow news from Tallinn and Riga with intense interest, celebrate each policy that strengthens their ancestral home’s security, and voice concern at any signs of Western wavering. The war in Ukraine, launched on February 24, 2022 (Estonia’s Independence Day, poignantly enough), deeply resonated with Baltic diaspora families.”
Halloween – pühakutepäev või kommertspüha?
Jaak Juske, Postimees arvamus
“Halloween hakkas Eestis levima 1980. aastate lõpus – umbes samal ajal mitmete Euroopa maadega. Pühakutepäeva laupäev 31. oktoobril oli eesti rahvakalendris varem tundmatu ja kombestikult ühendab tähtpäev endas meie hingedeaja, mihklipäeva ja mardipäeva tavasid.”
https://arvamus.postimees.ee/8353316/jaak-juske-halloween-puhakutepaev-voi-kommertspuha
“With Estonia's mardipäev and kadripäev, is Halloween one too many?”
ERR
“Halloween's growing popularity in Estonia.”
Iida-Mai Einmaa, ERR
“Kas halloween’i peaks Eestis tähistama?”
Postimees, 2019
“Estonia's Haunted Manor Houses.”
ERR
“Keelesäuts. Kõrvitsate paraad.”
Kristina Koppel, ERR
Hingedepäev: 2. november
Eesti rahvakalender
“Hingedepäev on katoliku kiriku poolt surnute mälestamiseks kehtestatud püha. Rahvakalendris nimetati hingedepäevaks lihtsalt seda päeva, mil hingedele toitu viidi. Kirikukalendri mõjul hakkas nimetus siiski pikkamööda kinnistuma täpsele kuupäevale. Hingedepäeva eel ja ajal on kombeks võtta aeg korraks maha ja süüdata kalmudel mälestusküülad. Küünal pannakse ka aknale või lauale põlema.”
https://rahvakalender.ee/hingedepaev/
Never Visit an Estonian Empty-Handed
The Baltic Review
“A guide to Estonian hospitality.”
______________
The Coffee Club:
Consider buying me a cup of
Pumpkin-Spice coffee if you find the
newsletter useful. Visit my PayPal link:
https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/EstoNews100
EstoNews On-Line:
https://estonewsoftheweek.blogspot.com/
Hingedepäev foto:
https://kalmula.ee/blogi/hingedepaeva-traditsioonid-ja-tahendus/
______________
Estonia pledges immediate strikes on Russian targets breaching its airspace
Caliber
“Estonia is prepared to shoot down Russian targets that cross its airspace, Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said. Speaking at a joint conference with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, he noted that the NATO protocol on this matter has been in place for 20 years.”
—
“When asked by journalists whether Estonia is prepared to shoot down Russian targets appearing near its border, Tsahkna responded that such action would be taken if necessary.”
Drone shot down near Estonian base
Stars and Stripes | ERR
“The incident occurred near Camp Reedo in southern Estonia, where one of the aircraft that allies spotted was shot down with an anti-drone gun. … It was unclear Wednesday whether U.S. soldiers had any part in tracking or shooting down the aircraft. The U.S. Army referred questions about the situation to Estonian officials.”
https://www.stripes.com/theaters/europe/2025-10-29/estonia-drone-shotdown-19584290.html
—
https://news.err.ee/1609841727/nato-allies-shoot-down-unidentified-drone-over-us-barracks-in-estonia
"Estonia pledges immediate strikes on Russian targets breaching its airspace."
Caliber
The U.S. will not reduce number of troops in Estonia
ERR
“The U.S. has confirmed it will not reduce the number of troops stationed in Estonia, Minister of Defense Hanno Pevkur (Reform) said on Wednesday, following months of speculation about the USA's withdrawal from Europe. On Wednesday morning, the Romanian Ministry of Defense announced that the number of U.S. forces in the country would be lowered from around 2,200 to 1,000. Media reports suggest there could also be a reduction in Bulgaria, Slovakia and Hungary.
https://news.err.ee/1609843027/us-will-not-reduce-number-of-troops-in-estonia-defense-minister-says
“USA ei plaani Eestis kohalolekut vähendada.”
Postimees
“US to maintain stable military presence in Poland.”
PAP
“Romania confirms that the US will downsize its troop presence in its country.”
Radio Poland
War Hysteria is a Disservice to Estonia: EDF commander
ERR | BNN
“There are too many voices of war hysteria in Estonia and too little constructive, informed debate about the current security situation, Lt. Gen. Andrus Merilo said. "There's talk that Narva will be next, which only fuels hysteria and doesn't reflect reality. I would argue there's a lack of accuracy in the information space.”
https://news.err.ee/1609843638/edf-commander-war-hysteria-doing-estonia-a-disservice
—
Sõjahüsteeria teeb meile karuteenet
ERR
“Eestis kõlab liialt palju sõjahüsteerikute hääl ning liiga vähe on konstruktiivset ja adekvaatset arutelu praeguse julgeolekuolukorra üle ja mida see meile tähendada võib, ütles kaitseväe juhataja kindralleitnant Andrus Merilo ajakirjale Sõdur. Ta lisas, et isegi kui Venemaa teeb valearvestuse ja meid ründab, siis teda ei saada kiire edu ning ei ole olemas ‘kolme päevaga Tallinna’ stsenaariumit.”
https://www.err.ee/1609843590/merilo-sojahusteeria-teeb-meile-karuteenet
Frontex to set up a regional command center in Narva
Postimees | ERR
“Estonian Minister of the Interior Igor Taro, during a visit to Poland, signed a letter of intent with Frontex Executive Director Hans Leijtens on Monday, reaffirming the clear intention to permanently establish a Frontex regional command center in the Narva area.”
—
“The Frontex regional command center (the European Border and Coast Guard Agency) will manage joint operations along the entire eastern Schengen border, which includes Estonia, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, and Slovakia.”
https://news.postimees.ee/8350728/frontex-to-set-up-permanent-regional-command-center-in-narva
—
https://news.err.ee/1609704213/frontex-deputy-director-command-center-in-narva-a-symbolic-signal
______________
“Expert: Using Estonia shipwreck for espionage purposes makes no sense.”
ERR
“On Russia's doorstep: Exercise Bold Panzer sees 1,000 troops conduct wargames.”
BFBS Forces
“Estonian company covertly refuel Russia's shadow fleet vessels.”
ERR
“Saatse saapas püüti kinni riigipiiri seadust rikkunud välisajakirjanikud.”
Postimees
“RMK upgrades forest road to bypass Saatse Boot in south Estonia.”
ERR
“Details of the reconstruction of the Saatse Boot remain secret.”
Postimees
“Estonia has the world’s most competitive tax systems for the 11th year in a row.”
BNE
“Estonia Urges Preparation for ‘Different Kind of War’ - Putin is testing all the time.”
Newsweek
“Interview: Estonian President Alar Karis.”
Foreign Policy
“How Estonia Became The Front Line For Global Cyber War Defense.”
Worldcrunch
______________
Around the Baltic Sea
Kaliningrad seeking to play same role the Baltics did in Soviet times
By Paul Goble
“Daniil Kotsyubinsky says the Russian Federation exclave of Kaliningrad is “seeking to play the same role the Baltic republics did during Soviet times,” offering itself as ‘a piece of authentic Europe’ forcibly cut off from the West, with all the tourist benefits that entails.”
—
“In the 1990s, there was much talk that Kaliningrad might become “the fourth Baltic republic,” not only because it was then part of a Euroregion but because Russians who visited it would be affected and bring some of its values home, possibly transforming more of their country just as Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania did.”
—
“That possibility was very much on Putin’s mind, and from the start of his rule, he worked consistently to reduce Kaliningrad from that window on the West.”
http://windowoneurasia2.blogspot.com/2025/10/kaliningrad-seeking-to-play-role-baltic.html
The Baltic Sea in Peace and War
Tony Lawrence, ICDS
“In a string of incidents beginning in late 2023, commercial ships severed numerous pipelines and cables under the Baltic Sea. Departing from its insistence that the primary responsibility to respond to hybrid threats rests with targeted countries, NATO launched military activities which saw Allied ships and aircraft deploy to the region to deter and counter further attacks. These episodes highlighted both the need for states bordering the Baltic Sea to ensure a safe maritime environment, and the shortfalls in their capacity to do so at present.”
https://icds.ee/en/the-baltic-sea-in-peace-and-war/
Läänemeri rahu ja sõja vahel
Tony Lawrence, Diplomaatia
“2023. aasta lõpus alanud vahejuhtumite reas lõhkusid kaubalaevad ohtralt Läänemere põhjas asuvaid torujuhtmeid ja kaableid. Heites kõrvale oma senise vaatenurga, et hübriidohtudele reageerimise eest vastutavad peamiselt sihtriigid, alustas NATO sõjalisi tegevusi, mille käigus paigutati piirkonda liitlasvägede laevu ja lennukeid edasiste rünnakute ärahoidmiseks ja tõrjumiseks. Need sündmused tõid esile nii Läänemere maade vajaduse tagada ohutu merekeskkond kui ka nende praegused puudujäägid ses valdkonnas.”
https://diplomaatia.ee/laanemeri-rahu-ja-soja-vahel/
Europe’s Defence Readiness Roadmap 2030
ECFR
“The roadmap is strikingly comprehensive, and demanding. It builds on the EU’s defence white paper of the spring, reiterating the imperative to support and learn from Ukraine. It also reiterates the need to respond to the ways in which modern warfare has transformed in recent years, requiring matching transformations in defence capabilities and in Europe’s defence technological and industrial base. …”
Europe’s Broken National Politics Hamper its Geopolitical Power
By Rym Momtaz, Carnegie Europe
“Europe is paralyzed, crippled by a lack of strategic vision, surge of far-right forces, and multiplication of caretaker governments. To achieve the union’s geopolitical ambitions, EU member states must first respond to their citizens’ daily concerns.”
“Europe has a leadership problem.”
GIS
Climate change is making oat cultivation viable in Northern Europe
By Aurora Velez, Euronews
“Researchers from Finland, Iceland, Ireland, Norway and Sweden are testing 400 oat varieties to see which ones are best suited to the current Arctic climate and to promote their production in Northern Europe.”
—
https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2025/10/27/nordic-oats-an-orphan-crop-taking-root-once-again
____________
“Finland’s ‘Bible Tweet’ Case.”
The European Conservative
“Latgale's population aging fastest in Latvia.”
LSM
“Nearly 2,000 trucks stranded after Lithuania closes border with Belarus.”
LRT
“Leedu hakkab Valgevenest saabuvaid õhupalle alla tulistama.”
ERR
“The Worst of Lithuania’s Balloon Crisis May Still Be Ahead.”
The Baltic Sentinel
“No radiation measured in Norway after Putin's Burevestnik missile test.”
The Barents Observer
“Sweden’s still ahead in the preparedness game.”
Politico Europe
“Lithuanian FM: EU must bolster eastern flank now.”
Euronews
____________
Putin’s F**king War
Putin declares 2027 as
‘The Year of Geography’
By Atle Staalesen, Barents Observer
“It was during last week’s Congress of the Russian Geographical Society that Putin announced that 2027 will be a so-called ‘Year of Geography’ in Russia. Apparently, the land occupied by Russian forces during the war of aggression against Ukraine, as well as territories in the Arctic, are key motives behind the decision.”
—
“I ask the government to consider declaring 2027 the Year of Geography,” the Russian ruler said in an address.
"This is important for us from a political point of view,” he explained, and emphasized that "the main event of the year will be consolidation of maps — new maps — of the Russian Federation.”
‘Zeroed out’: Russian officers execute their own men
Meduza | The Guardian
“The outlet Verstka has compiled a database of Russian soldiers who have been accused of killing their fellow servicemen. These summary executions are known in military slang as “zeroings out,” and the people who carry them out are called “zeroers.” The database currently includes 101 names. Of those, 79 are listed as “identified,” meaning Verstka was able to obtain at least two independent confirmations of their alleged crimes. For the remaining 22, there isn’t yet enough evidence. “That’s why the database will be continuously updated,” Verstka wrote, encouraging readers to share any additional information.
“Moscow suppressing investigations into Zeroed out.”
By Paul Goble
Ukrainian Drones Target 3 Russian Industrial Sites
The Moscow Times
“Civil aviation regulator Rosaviatsia said 13 airports across Russia, including three in Moscow, and annexed Crimea were forced to pause operations for security checks.”
—
“Russia’s Defense Ministry said its air defense forces intercepted 100 Ukrainian drones overnight, nearly half of them over the Bryansk region, and six others over the Moscow region. Five additional drones were downed over annexed Crimea on Wednesday morning.”
Putin returns to nuclear brinksmanship after new U.S. sanctions
Jamestown Org.
“The U.S. sanctions target energy giants Rosneft and Lukoil, causing their market values to drop, as the measures threaten export revenues since key partners, such as India and Türkiye, will have more leverage when purchasing Russian oil. With hopes for a personal rapport with Trump fading, Putin has returned to nuclear brinkmanship.”
https://jamestown.org/program/putin-returns-to-brinksmanship-after-new-u-s-sanctions/
Turmoil in Russia Makes the Kremlin More Aggressive
The Baltic Sentinel
“Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said in an interview with The Sunday Times that Ukraine is prepared to fight for another two or three years but is concerned about the prospect of a ten-year war.
—
“Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk warned British readers that if the Kremlin were to attack a NATO country, the United Kingdom would be in the line of fire — and said he was shocked at how calmly British citizens view the dangerous situation the world is in.”
The Russian Military: Forecasting The Threat
ISW
“The Russian military has undergone a rapid and comprehensive transformation since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 by optimizing itself to fight a positional war. … The current Russian military can only conduct positional offensive operations to support its theory of victory — outlasting Western support for Ukraine and sustaining grinding territorial advances that Ukraine cannot reverse — and cannot currently conduct significant operational maneuver. …”
https://understandingwar.org/research/future-of-war/the-russian-military-forecasting-the-threat/
“Russian parliament adopts draft law on year-round conscription.”
Novaya Gazeta
“Russia Moves to Year-Round Military Draft Amid Wartime Manpower Needs.”
The Moscow Times
“Is Russia’s Influence at the United Nations on the Decline?”
Ponars Eurasia
“Putin is the biggest child kidnapper in the world.”
New Eastern Europe
____________
_______
__
