Defense ministers and generals war-gaming in Bodø, Norway
Politico Europe
“…to rehearse what it would look like if Russia decided to unleash hostile activity on its doorstep. The exercise is set a year after an imagined ceasefire in Ukraine. It asks leaders of Nordic and Baltic countries to calculate what they would do as they begin to track pro-Russia civil unrest inside a bordering country.”
—
“Defense ministers and generals in attendance are supplied with newspaper reports about the incidents, patchy intelligence updates and social media posts and asked to decide the best course of action.”
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“Britain put itself forward to lead a group of like-minded European countries in preparing for threats on their northern flank, founding the 10-nation Joint Expeditionary Force. … Part of the idea behind JEF is that it can act swiftly while the NATO machine, which requires the agreement of 32 member states to act, takes much longer to whir into action.”
—
“In theory, then, the U.K. has helped forge an ideal alliance for protecting the high north as its boundaries are increasingly tested. Yet there is a suspicion among some observers that it is not operating at full strength at precisely the time it is needed most.”
https://www.politico.eu/article/britain-nordic-war-game-russian-threat/
“British plans for defence spending for Nato’s front line hopelessly inadequate.”
The Telegraph
“Ukraine Becomes First Non-Member to Join UK-Led Joint Expeditionary Force.”
United24
Europe’s War and the Baltic
Lesson: Building Resilience
By David Cattler
ICDS
“For Estonia, deterrence has never been a matter of abstract ratios or force tables. It begins with people—how they think, organise, and keep the lights on when the world flickers. Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania joined NATO not only for collective defence but to embed a culture of vigilance: the idea that national security is a civic habit, not a military speciality.”
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“Over two decades, the Baltic states have built what amounts to societal defence architecture: cyber networks hardened against intrusion, energy systems designed for redundancy, and schools that teach students how to spot disinformation as naturally as they learn history. Estonia’s volunteer Defence League is part of daily life. Teachers, coders, and reservists train together, all of them understanding that defence is a national reflex. These measures aren’t theoretical—they’re routines born of geography and memory.”
—
“Estonia’s operationalisation of resilience across ministries and industries has helped make NATO’s eastern front a testbed for Europe’s future.”
Latvia’s Parliament Voted to Exit Treaty Protecting Women from Violence
Meduza
“In September 2025, a right-wing populist party in Latvia introduced legislation to withdraw the country from the Istanbul Convention, a key international treaty aimed at protecting women from violence. In the lead-up to the vote, thousands of people took to the streets of Riga in protest, a petition against the bill garnered more than 22,000 signatures, and over a dozen countries urged the parliament to reconsider.”
—
“Nonetheless, a majority of deputies approved the withdrawal — including some of the same people who voted to ratify the treaty less than two years earlier.”
https://meduza.io/en/feature/2025/11/04/cynical-and-completely-reckless
The Times
“Latvia delays vote on violence against women treaty.”
Deutsche Welle
“Latvia: Public mobilization grows in support of treaty for preventing violence against women.”
Le Monde
“Thousands protest against Latvia's potential withdrawal from Istanbul Convention.”
Euronews
“Why Are Countries Turning Away From The Istanbul Convention?”
RFERL
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Eesti suursaadik Ühendkuningriigis andis üle volikirja
ERR
“… Suurbritannia ja Põhja-Iiri Ühendkuningriigi kuningale Charles III-le. Volikirjade üleandmise tseremooniale järgnenud vestluses keskendusid suursaadik ja kuningas julgeolekuküsimustele.”
“Estonian Ambassador to the United Kingdom Sven Sakkov Presented His Credentials.”
Välisministeerium
“Bio: Ambassador H.E. Mr. Sven Sakkov.”
Estonian Embassy in London
Russian border guard boat flies Wagner Group flag on Narva River
ERR
“A Russian border guard boat displaying a flag of notorious Russian paramilitary organization the Wagner Group was spotted Sunday moving along the Narva River, which separates Estonia from the Russian Federation.”
—
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs jokingly noted in a tweet Sunday that it seems the group have taken over Russia's border authorities. "Is Wagner marching on Moscow again, or starting with St. Petersburg this time? Hard to tell. From our side it looks like they've already annexed the Russian border guards. Who knows… " the ministry said in its tweet.”
https://news.err.ee/1609845951/russian-border-guard-boat-flies-wagner-group-flag-on-narva-river
KAPO tabas Venemaa spiooni ja sellel on Tallinnas suur mõju
Erkki Koort, Postimees arvamus
“Eestis vastuluure eest vastutav julgeolekuteenistus Kaitsepolitsei pidas kinni järjekordse Venemaa heaks töötanud isiku. Selleks osutus ennast ajakirjanikuks pidanud Oleg Bessedin, kuid keda on jõutud juba ka Kremli-meelseks propagandistiks nimetada. Prokuratuur kahtlustab teda Eesti Vabariigi vastases vägivallatus tegevuses ja rahvusvahelise sanktsiooni rikkumises. Harju maakohtu otsusel võeti Bessedin 5. novembril kaheks kuuks vahi alla.”
“Kapo pidas riigivastases kuriteos kahtlustatavana kinni Oleg Bessedini.”
ERR
“Estonia Detains Blogger for Pro-Kremlin Activities.”
United24
“Authorities had to be sure before arresting Bessedin.”
BNN
Andres Sutt metsavargustele ahvatlevast plaanist: ühiskond ei aktsepteeri enam sellist käitumisviisi
Ülle Harju, Postimees
“Metsaseaduse muutmise eelnõus on väidetavalt ilma mõjuta punkt, mis reaalelus tekitab võimalusi metsavargusteks ja -rüüstamiseks. Energeetika- ja keskkonnaministri Andres Suti hinnangul aga ohtu pole, sest ühiskond ei aktsepteeri enam sellist käitumisviisi.”
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| Andres Sutt | Ajakirjanik Ülle Harju |
Sutt pakkus, et metsatööstus võiks kontrolli enda kätte võtta
Ülle Harju, Postimees
“Harvendusraiet tehakse Eestis üle miljoni tihumeetri aastas. Teedel hakkaks aastas vurama üle 30 000 rekakoorma puitu, mille puhul ei saaks politsei enam kiirelt raieloa (metsateatise) numbri järgi kontrollida, kas tegu on seadusliku puiduga või on see kas varastatud või raiutud ebaseaduslikult.”
Kõik Eesti Laul 2026 finalistid on teada
ERR
“Eesti Laul 2026 finaalis astuvad lavale nii Eurovisiooni kogemusega artistid kui ka esimest korda Eesti Laulule karussellile sisenevad muusikud. Eesti Laul 2026 finaali pääseb võistlema 12 lugu.”
https://eeter.err.ee/1609844736/koik-eesti-laul-2026-finalistid-on-teada
Estonian Naval History Soars at the Seaplane Harbor
By Christopher Booth
U.S. Naval Institute
“In 2012, nearly 100 years after it was first built and decades after it had fallen into disrepair and the legal limbo common to the dissolution of the Soviet Union, a massive concrete seaplane hangar reopened as the Estonian Maritime Museum’s Seaplane Harbour.”
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“The maritime museum is the most popular exhibition in Estonia, and the 86,000-square-foot seaplane hangar is undoubtedly why. … The architects put the cavernous space to good use, partitioning it into various topical sections for exhibits, but also creating a flow through the use of bridges and a superstructure that guide visitors from point to point.”
—
“A significant portion of the museum is dedicated to the naval history of the Estonian War of Independence (1918–20), as well as the years between World Wars.”
Life in the Estonian border villages metres from Russia
Novaya Gazeta
“The Russians have enough problems of their own and aren’t interested in Estonia, one person argues. “People are starving, they have no money, and yet they’ll mount an attack? It makes no sense. If they were strong, like NATO, then OK … But everything’s bad there. They haven’t got anything to eat. Will a hungry man attack? It’s laughable.”
https://novayagazeta.eu/articles/2025/11/03/holding-the-line-en
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“At Ninety, Arvo Pärt and Terry Riley Still Sound Vital.”
The New Yorker
“Karis: peab juhtuma väike ime, et keegi veenab mind uuesti kandideerima.”
ERR
“Estonia Inflation Eases To 5-month Low.”
FinanzNachrichten
“AI raputab Eesti kinnisvaraturgu: paljude maaklerite töö kaob.”
Postimees
“Cyber exercise Crossed Swords begins in Tallinn.”
Estonian World
“Estonia joins the committee of the special tribunal on Russia's aggression against Ukraine.”
LIGA
“A functional, digital government isn't a dream. It's Estonia's reality.”
NPR
“Türkiye emerges as major defense supplier to Estonia.”
Türkiye Today
“Large aerial bomb found in Ida-Viru County.”
ERR
“Estonia shall not be threatened by Russia.”
Defence24 Commentary
“Estonian Villagers in Tyumen Oblast Refuse to Make Donations for Putin’s War in Ukraine.”
By Paul Goble
“Top European Rights Court Slams Estonia's Prison Smoking Ban.”
Barrons
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Around the Baltic Sea
NATO’s Quietest Operation
The Baltic Sentinel
“NATO’s latest and judging by the media coverage its quietest operation Eastern Sentry, has brought an unprecedented density of reconnaissance flights to the skies of Northeastern Europe. From publicly available sources we identified no fewer than 257 reconnaissance flights during the first month of the operation.”
—
“Radar tracks appeared and vanished; ovals formed in the cloud cover visible on weather maps, as if invisible horses were cantering across a racetrack in the sky…"
—
“In addition to aircraft serial numbers and owners, the callsigns and routes of reconnaissance planes are sometimes masked. “If flights take place only in the airspace of NATO countries — i.e., not over international waters — national procedures may permit flying without a transponder,” said former commander of the Estonian Air Force, Brigadier General (ret.) Jaak Tarien.”
To Deter Russia, Europe Needs Ukraine
By Fredrik Wesslau
Foreign Policy
“A Ukraine-Baltics defense pact would bring Kyiv into Europe’s security architecture.”
—
“In practice, Ukraine is already a significant provider of security for Europe. By fighting Russia and defending its right to exist as a free and democratic state, Ukraine is defending all of Europe. It is weakening Russia, tying down Russian troops, and acting as forward defense for NATO allies. Ukraine’s resistance is transforming how the continent conceives of its own defense. The question now is how to formalize and sustain that role within a broader European framework. The logic of Ukraine’s present and future role in European security is incontrovertible. …”
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“17,500 people in Sweden are now considered actively involved in gang crime.”
Radio Sweden
“Rootsi politsei: riigis on üle 17,000 jõugukurjategija.”
ERR
“Sweden plays a key role for Estonia in several areas.”
Baltic Times
“Merkel's remarks on the Russia-Ukraine war have drawn criticism from Poland, Latvia and Estonia.”
Deutsche Welle
“Põlissoomlaste liidri sõnul peaks Soome loobuma 2035. aasta kliimaeesmärgist.”
ERR
“British plans for defence spending for Nato’s front line hopelessly inadequate.”
The Telegraph
“Rutte: USA üksuste lahkumisest Rumeenias on tehtud liiga suur number.”
Postimees
Politico Europe
“Russia Accuses NATO of Preparing to Blockade Kaliningrad.”
The National Interest
“Prisoners tell of brutality behind bars in Belarus.”
BBC
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Putin’s Eternal War
Vene väed on esimese suurema vallutuse lävel pärast pikka vahet
WSJ/Postimees
“Pokrovski võtmine oleks Venemaale kõige märkimisväärsem territoriaalne edu alates Pahmuti vallutamist kaks ja pool aastat tagasi. See saavutus aitaks tugevdada Vene presidendi Putini argumenti president Trumpile, et Vene võit on vältimatu ning relvatarned Kiievile asjatu raiskamine.”
Estonian intelligence: Three possible scenarios for the situation in Ukraine
Online UA
“Colonel Ants Kiviselg, head of the Estonian Defense Forces Intelligence Center, carefully analyzed the situation around Pokrovsk in the Donetsk region, He describes 3 likely scenarios for the development of the situation in Ukraine over the coming months.”
—
“First: Russia's war will be stopped by a truce, since neither side currently has the strength for a decisive breakthrough. However, if events develop in this way, it will still be only a temporary solution.”
—
“Second: Against the backdrop of a significant deterioration in socio-economic instability, Russia will not be able to continue the war, and Putin will agree to peace talks.”
—
“Third: this is what Kiviselg calls the "most realistic" one — it's about Russia continuing the war as it is now. Putin simply can't afford to lose.”
The Slow Death of Russian Oil
Foreign Affairs
“Why Ukraine’s Campaign Against Moscow’s Energy Sector Is Working.”
https://www.foreignaffairs.com/russia/slow-death-russian-oil
Ukraine tackles Russian indoctrination of repatriated children
Le Monde
“It's like they're coming out of a cult.”
—
“To date, 1,762 Ukrainian children have been repatriated after being forcibly transferred by Moscow. Ukrainians are working to de-indoctrinate them and are warning that today, all children living under occupation, Russified and militarized, are being torn from their country without even having to be physically deported.”
Vladimir Putin is moving on to his next stop
The Washington Post, opinion
“While attention is fixed on the Baltics, Moscow has waged an information war in its backyard: Central Asia and the South Caucasus.”
—
“Unable to replicate Ukraine-style invasions elsewhere, at least while engaged in a full-scale war, Russia is falling back on the tools it knows best — covert influence campaigns, disinformation, destabilization and military and intelligence probing.”
“Mustad lesed ahvatlevad Vene sõdureid abielluma.”
Wall Street Journal ja Postimees
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