Stopping former Russian soldiers from entering the EU
By Rikard Jozwiak, RFERL
“Estonia is pushing to have Russian soldiers who have fought in the war in Ukraine banned from entering the Schengen area, a passport-free zone covering most of European Union member states. The idea, put forward in a discussion paper seen by RFE/RL and distributed to other EU capitals in late January, was briefly discussed when the bloc’s foreign ministers met in Brussels on January 29 …”
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“According to Tallinn, an estimated 1.5 million Russian citizens have taken part in combat operations in Ukraine since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 -- including both regular armed forces of the Russian Federation and proxy units such as the Wagner Group. Of these it is believed that 640,000 remain actively engaged, meaning there are close to 1 million ex-fighters that are potential targets for the EU.”
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“Combat experience and the use of violence, including likely participation in war crimes and other atrocities against the Ukrainian population, are common characteristics of these individuals. Their potential entry into and presence within the EU carries not only a general risk of violent crime but represents a major vector for the infiltration of organized crime, extremist movements, and hostile state operations across Europe. It is also noted that these individuals can be a fertile recruitment base for Russian intelligence services.”
ERR
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“The border between democracy
and authoritarianism is the least
protected border in the world.”
Ivan Krastev
The Coffee Club
https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/EstoNews100
EstoNews On-Line:
https://estonewsoftheweek.blogspot.com/
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Eesti koondis Milano Cortina olümpial
ERR
“Milano Cortina talilümpiamängudel kuulub Eesti koondisesse 32 sportlast 11 spordialalt, lisaks on kohapeal ka 47-liikmeline tugipersonal.”
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“Kõik kellaajad on Eesti aja järgi.”
https://sport.err.ee/1609923629/eesti-koondis-milano-cortina-olumpial
“Milano Cortina olümpiamängude ülekannete ajakava.”
ERR
Estonia weighs possible full closure of the eastern border
ERR
“… in response to Russia's illegal border crossing last month. … The Narva border crossing has been pedestrian-only for almost two years and closed to road traffic. Earlier this week, Russia said it will complete reconstruction of the Ivangorod border crossing, across the Narva River from Estonia's Narva post, by year's end. Although the upgrade would raise capacity by nearly 25 percent to almost 2,000 vehicles a day, Estonia says car traffic will not resume until Russia ends its war in Ukraine.”
https://news.err.ee/1609928321/estonia-weighs-possible-eastern-border-closure-after-russia-crossing
Postimees
Estonia detained container ship heading for Russia
Reuters | Postimees | Maritime Executive
“… sailing under the Bahamian flag in Estonia's internal waters that may be linked to smuggling from Ecuador.”
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“To board the container ship, K-Commando used a helicopter from the Police and Border Guard Board’s aviation unit and the navy vessel Raju. … The ship, named Baltic Spirit, was en route from Ecuador to St. Petersburg in Russia.”
https://www.reuters.com/world/estonia-detains-ship-heading-russia-suspected-smuggling-2026-02-04/
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https://maritime-executive.com/article/estonia-detains-russia-bound-ship-on-suspicion-of-smuggling
“Tax and Customs Board clears detained ship to leave port after inspection.”
Postimees
Estonia split over whether to open talks with the Kremlin
By Silver Tambur
Estonian World
“Estonia’s president Alar Karis has called for Europe to re-enter diplomacy with Moscow – only to be slapped down by the country’s foreign ministry and foreign minister, who warn that engaging the Kremlin now would weaken Ukraine and hand Vladimir Putin a propaganda victory.”
“President Alar Karis ja Läti peaminister kutsuvad üles pidama Venemaaga otsekõnelusi.”
Delfi
“Estonian government laying the ground for not endorsing President Karis second term.”
ERR
“PM: Karis' latest Ukraine remarks clash with Estonia's core values.”
ERR
“Estonian foreign minister rejects president's call for EU talks with Kremlin.”
ERR
“Latvian PM and Estonian president back special EU envoy for Russia-Ukraine talks.”
Euronews
The Baltic Sentinel
Saaremaa ja Hiiumaa vahel saab jäisel merel autoga sõita
Postimees
“Kui jääteed rajama hakatakse, kulub tavaliselt vähemalt kolm nädalat, enne kui ükski trass valmis saab. Nüüd on asjaga kiire. Kolmapäeva lõunast on saarlased ja hiidlased teinud koostööd, et jäätee saaks võimalikult kiiresti rajatud. «Hiidlased tegelevad jääkatte paksuse mõõtmisega, meie oleme jäätee märgistamiseks ette valmistanud 200 kadakat, need tulevad iga 100 meetri järel,» rääkis Verstoni Saaremaa piirkonna teemeister Marek Koppel.”
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"Võimaliku trassi uurimiseks puuritakse iga saja meetri tagant auk ja mõõdetakse jää paksust. Transpordiameti teehoiuteenistuse Lääne osakonna juhataja Hannes Vaidla sõnul hinnatakse lisaks jääpragude iseloomu, sildade vajadust ning mahasõidukohti.”
https://www.postimees.ee/8409976/saaremaa-ja-hiiumaa-vahel-saab-varsti-jaisel-merel-autoga-soita
Ice road between Saaremaa and Hiiumaa to open
ERR
“Due to the exceptional weather conditions, an official ice road is set to open between Tärkma in Hiiumaa and Triigi in Saaremaa – most likely this Friday or Saturday.
The road will open following the completion of all the necessary safety procedures. "In recent days, I have been in close contact with the Transport Administration to find a way to open the ice road between Hiiumaa and Saaremaa as quickly as it is safe to do so," said Minister of Infrastructure Kuldar Leis.”
https://news.err.ee/1609931738/ice-road-between-saaremaa-and-hiiumaa-to-open-in-coming-days
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“1,250 troops brave -30°C cold as Nato proves unity at Estonia winter exercise.”
Upday
“Estonia Town Stuck Between Two Worlds.”
Barrons
“Estonia concerned about Latvia being 'years' behind on Rail Baltica.”
LSM
“Tesla asutas Eestis tütarettevõtte.”
ERR
“Can the EU replicate Estonia’s startup success?”
Euronews
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Around the Baltic Sea
Fortress Finland: Nordic deterrence against Russia
Geopolitical Intelligence Services
“Russia is pushing Nordic and Baltic states toward closer cooperation. … Pushing Finland to join NATO may well turn out to have been one of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s greatest strategic blunders. By failing to roll back the alliance’s influence in what the Kremlin claims to be a Russian “sphere of privileged interest,” he has ensured that on Russia’s northern flank, NATO now stands stronger than ever.”
https://www.gisreportsonline.com/r/fortress-finland-nordic-deterrence/
Defence Industry Europe
Militarnyi
Europe begins its slow retreat from US dependence
Politico
“European governments and corporations are racing to reduce their exposure to U.S. technology, military hardware and energy resources as transatlantic relations sour. For decades, the EU relied on NATO guarantees to ensure security in the bloc, and on American technology to power its business. Donald Trump's threats to take over Greenland, and aggressive comments about Europe by members of his administration, have given fresh impetus to European leaders' call for “independence."
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“If we want to be taken seriously again, we will have to learn the language of power politics,” German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said last week.”
Europe Needs a Military Operations Center in Ukraine
By Alexander Crowther
and Jahara Matisek
CEPA
“A proposal: The continent’s militaries should build a command center in Ukraine to help fight Russia and form the nucleus of a post-US operational command.”
https://cepa.org/article/europe-needs-a-military-operations-center-in-ukraine/
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“Europeans see wars and disinformation as top concerns, Eurobarometer survey finds.”
Euronews
“More balloon-like objects enter Polish airspace from Belarus.”
PAP
“January in Estonia nearly 5 degrees colder than average.”
ERR
“January was coldest in 16 years in Latvia.”
LSM
“Temperatures fall to -34 degrees in Lithuania’s coldest night.”
Delfi
“Finnish Lapland sees coldest January in 40 years.”
Yle
“Moscow Increases Its Focus on Two Archipelagos – Denmark’s Faeroes and Norway’s Svalbard.”
By Paul Goble
“Finland's Evangelical Lutheran Church sees membership boost.”
Yle
“Opinion: Moscow’s Next Target Is Not the Baltic States, but Germany.”
The Baltic Sentinel
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Putin’s Forever War
How Ukraine plans to defend itself after the war
Politico
“Ukraine fears it can’t rely on security guarantees from its allies in any potential peace deal, and so must be ready to stand alone as a “steel porcupine” to ensure that Russian dictator Vladimir Putin won’t return for another attack. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen last year exhorted Kyiv to turn the country "into a steel porcupine, indigestible for present and future aggressors.”
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“That means a permanent massive army, heavy investment in the latest drone and missile technology, and domestic arms production.”
“It’s not just about surviving: The Ukrainian frontline city where life goes on under cover.”
The Guardian
“SpaceX has stopped Russia's 'unauthorised' use of Starlink against Ukraine.”
France24
The Day Russia’s War Collided With History
By Alexey Kovalev
Foreign Policy
“A mainstay genre of Moscow’s war propaganda is the claim of a direct, unbroken moral continuum running from the Great Patriotic War—what Russians call the eastern front in World War II—to the so-called special military operation, which everyone else calls the Russian invasion of Ukraine. In this telling, history is not analogy but destiny. Recruitment posters and billboards produced by the Russian Defense Ministry make the point visually: a Red Army infantryman in a 1940s olive tunic clasps hands with a soldier in modern Russian camouflage, as if the two conflicts were interchangeable chapters of the same war. The comparison is not only a top-down directive but also a deeply internalized belief among Russians. “We can do it again” has been a popular rallying cry for decades”
https://foreignpolicy.com/2026/01/30/russia-ukraine-putin-propaganda-world-war-narrative-military/
Looking at Russia’s Future
By: S. Frederick Starr
The National Interest
“A change in Russia’s government is more likely to take place than conventional wisdom allows.”
https://nationalinterest.org/feature/looking-ahead-at-russias-future
“The Russian economy is finally stagnating. What does it mean for the war – and for Putin?”
The Guardian
Opinion: Russia’s extreme winter storms a wake up call
The Moscow Times
“Extreme winter weather caused by the climate crisis is becoming an increasingly frequent challenge in Russia. Yet aging infrastructure and a budget overwhelmingly focused on the war make it even harder for Russians to cope. … In the past month alone, we have seen the most significant snowfall since 2001 in Kaliningrad, the heaviest snowfall in 30 years in Kamchatka and the most significant snowfall in over 200 years in Moscow, followed by extremely low temperatures unseen for decades.”
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