Lõppes kaitseväe aasta suurim õppus Kevadtorm 2026
Eesti Kaitsevägi
“Esmaspäeval, 1. juunil lõppes kaitseväe selle aasta suurim õppus Kevadtorm 2026, millest võttis tipphetkel osa enam kui 12,000 Eesti ja liitlasriikide võitlejat, tuues erinevate riikide kaitseväelased ühiselt harjutama Eesti kaitsmist nii Eestimaa pinnal kui ka esmakordselt Kirde-Lätis. Peamisteks treenitavateks üksusteks olid diviisi 2. jalaväebrigaad ja Kaitseliidu Lõuna maakaitseringkond.”
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“Õppust Kevadtorm 2026 korraldanud ohvitser kindralmajor Indrek Sirel toonitas, et sellised õppused ja pühendumine riigi kaitsmisele ei saa toimuda ilma ühiskonna toetuseta. „Elanike, maaomanike, ettevõtete ja muidugi ajateenijate, reservväelaste ja tegevväelaste perede toetus õppuste läbiviimisel on eluliselt vajalik. Täna oleme meie sellega mõnevõrra eelistatud seisundis, võrreldes paljude liitlastega, kelle jaoks selline laiapindne kaasamine on uudne. Lahingu võidavad sõdurid, sõja võidab rahvas,“ ütles kindralmajor Sirel.”
https://mil.ee/uudised/loppes-kaitsevae-aasta-suurim-oppus-kevadtorm-2026/
“Estonian Defence Forces have concluded their largest exercise of the year, Spring Storm 2026.”
EDF
“The German-Dutch Corps Does Not Solve NATO’s Force Problem in the Baltics — It Exposes It.”
The Baltic Sentinel
Ukrainian drones hit St Petersburg 2 times this week
Guardian | Politico | France24 | Moscow Times
“Ukrainian drones hit energy and military sites in St Petersburg early on Wednesday, hours before international guests gathered for the city’s flagship economic forum, in a blow to Vladimir Putin. Several long-range drones crashed into oil storage facilities after Russian air defences failed to shoot them down. There were loud explosions and black smoke rose high above the city from the blazing oil terminal.”
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“Ukraine on Saturday fired hundreds of drones targeting the St. Petersburg region in the second such attack on Russia’s second-largest city in less than a week. … Residents of St. Petersburg were told not to leave their homes after a large-scale Ukrainian drone attack targeted Russia’s second-largest city Saturday morning, underscoring Kyiv’s growing ability to hit deep inside Russia.”
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“The attack came a day after Russian President Vladimir Putin refused an offer to meet his Ukrainian counterpart.”
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jun/03/ukraine-drones-st-petersburg-russia-economic-forum?CMP=Share_
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Estonian Intel: Ukrainian strike destroyed much of the Baltic Fleet’s medium-range air defence capability
Postimees | ERR
“According to Colonel Ants Kiviselg, head of the Estonian Defence Forces Intelligence Centre, a Ukrainian drone attack on St. Petersburg and Kronstadt early Wednesday morning destroyed a significant portion of the Russian Baltic Fleet’s medium-range air defence capability operating in the Baltic Sea.”
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“Ukrainian Drones Transforming Russia’s Enormous Size From an Asset to a Liability.”
Sergey Medvedev | Paul Goble
“Ukraina droonid saavad Venemaa EW-ga kenasti hakkama.”
Teet Kalmus - Estonian World Review
The Age of Insecurity
By Jill Dougherty
ICDS
“One day in March, (the author’s) mobile suddenly buzzed with a new and ominous sound. It was an air alert from Estonia’s national alarm system, warning people to take cover if they spotted a drone. It was not an exercise; the drone hit a smokestack at a power plant. It was later identified as Ukrainian, flying off course during attacks on Russian military and energy infrastructure targets near the Baltic Sea. … I quickly checked another app: the Ukrainian Air Alert. I scrolled through and found a long list of regions marked with small red circles—signifying that at that very moment they were being attacked by Russian drones and missiles. I stopped for a minute to contemplate this violent, disorienting world.”
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“There is no neat bumper sticker name for our confusing time.”
https://icds.ee/en/the-age-of-insecurity/
The ‘Ole Valmis’ app
Naiskodukaitse
“Google Play “ - [Android devices]
“Apple App Store” - [Apple iPhone | iPad]
https://www.naiskodukaitse.ee/OLE_VALMIS_3680
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The Coffee Club:
NB! Your donations help cover various subscriptions and allows the purchase of ‘Limited digital licenses’ to use materials such as today’s cover cartoon. Aitäh!
https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/EstoNews100
Cover:
https://www.cartoonmovement.com/cartoon/ukraine-attacks-putin?cartoonist=/cartoonist/260
EstoNews On-Line:
https://estonewsoftheweek.blogspot.com/
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81% of Estonians Reportedly Support Armed Resistance
United24
“… if country is attacked, defense survey finds.”
Estonian Lessons
‘What the World Can Learn from a Brilliant Baltic State’ - book by Ross Allen
Hurst Publishers
“Ross Allen, UK Ambassador in Tallinn and a fluent Estonian-speaker, explores how this country has come to excel in so many fields, and what the rest of the world could learn from it. He offers insights from his diplomatic work, but also shares his embrace of local culture, from song festivals to smoke saunas. Having travelled across Estonia’s towns, villages, islands and bogs, his understanding of and enthusiasm for this relatively obscure country shine through.”
https://www.hurstpublishers.com/book/estonian-lessons/
“Estonia Has Lessons for Us All.”
Foreign Policy - subscription
Ukrainian Drone Operator Who Helped Demolish NATO Troops in Estonia a Year Ago Returns to Find Big Improvements
The Baltic Sentinel
“One year after the now-famous Hedgehog exercise exposed how vulnerable NATO units were to advanced drone tactics, the picture looks different. At this year’s exercise, drones, remote-controlled vehicles, and battlefield data are being integrated faster and more seriously. The lessons of Ukraine are starting to show.”
“Northern Estonia to get a €300 million ammo factory.”
Estonian World
Militarnyi
“Estonia Deploys First Anti-Drone Shield as Security Risks Grow Along Russian Border.”
United24
“Estonia installs drone detection system along Russian border.”
Radio Poland
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“EKRE labane rünnak luterliku kiriku vastu on häbiväärne.”
Postimees arvamus
“Estonia is reluctant to discuss nuclear capability.”
Postimees
“Polestar launches in Estonia.”
Automotive World
“Eesti vajab täiesti uut relvaseadust.”
Postimees arvamus
The Washington Times
“Estonia shows what an agile cyber coalition in wartime looks like.”
GovInsider
“Estonia to stop recognizing Russian non-biometric diplomatic passports.”
Ukrinform
“100s of new ammunition depots being built across Estonia.”
ERR
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Around the Baltic Sea
The Baltics push back against doom scenarios from Western experts
Kyiv Independent
“The Baltic International Security Center (BISC) is the first pan-Baltic think tank. It plans to challenge such views with slogans telling Brussels to "be more Baltic," and that "Europe doesn't have a Baltic problem, it has Baltic solutions.”
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“At the think tank's launch event, its founder, Edward Lucas, called out what he sees as a "Western commentariat echoing the Kremlin's talking points," which included his former employer, the Economist.”
https://kyivindependent.com/the-baltics-latest-push-against-a-mistaken-western-commentariat/
NATO Is Doubling Down on Baltic Military Deployments
The National Interest
“Germany and the Netherlands are preparing to set up a joint command center in Estonia and Latvia—and Sweden is bolstering its defenses on Gotland in the Baltic Sea.”
https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/nato-doubling-down-on-baltic-military-deployments-ps-053126
Open Letter to the President of the Russian Federation from the President of Ukraine
Official website of the President of Ukraine
“When you came to power in Russia more than 26 years ago, many people in Ukraine viewed you positively. That is how it was. But that is now in the past. Now, the overwhelming majority of Ukrainians view it positively that our long-range drones paid a visit to the opening of your forum in St. Petersburg, covering a distance of more than 1,000 kilometers. As you know very well, that distance is not the limit of our capabilities.”
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“For 26 years, your time in power has completely changed the agenda of relations between Ukraine and Russia. From discussions about trade and other civilian matters, our nations have moved to talking almost exclusively about strikes and losses. You have spent nearly half of your 26 years in power in Russia waging war against Ukraine.”
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Putin to Zelenskyy: No peace talks - and don’t call me old
Politico Europe
“Vladimir Putin brushed off Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s plea to meet him for talks, as he bashed the Ukrainian president’s manners.”
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“I had a glance at [a letter]. The author of this letter mentions my age. Some of the [world leaders] are older than me. The most important thing is whether you can do your job properly,” said the Russian leader during a discussion at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum on Friday.”
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“Reacting to the Russian leader’s remarks, Zelenskyy said in a statement Friday evening, “Unfortunately, Russia once again chooses war. He just does not want to end it. Many will be disappointed by this weak response … So it means Russia needs to have less money and more pressure on it.”
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“Finland: 4 suspects in sabotage of undersea Estonia cables are being held by police.”
DW
“Microsoft plaanib rajada Soome andmekeskuse.”
ERR
“Weapons are one thing, but if war breaks out, Europe’s best resource is its people.”
The Guardian
“Esimesed Rootsi vangid peaksid augustis Eestisse jõudma.”
ERR
“EU States Push For Tougher Rules To Deny Russians Tourist Visas.”
RFERL
“USA vägede lahkumise järel vaatab Leedu tuumaheidutuse poole.”
Postimees
“Lithuania signals interest in American nukes.”
Politico
“Report: Finland may need €14bn a year for defence.”
Helsinki Times
“Why Estonia wants NATO members to 'invest more into defense’.”
Deutsche Welle
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Putin’s Forever War
Putin’s deliberate brutality in Ukraine has a backstory
By Antony Beevor
The Washington Post - opinion
“One can never generalize about a whole nation, especially not Russia, with all its different component nationalities and its split between Slavophiles and Westerners. Nor can there be such a thing as a DNA-based national character. At the same time, most countries are influenced, at least subconsciously, by a certain self-image or national narrative. Perhaps ever since the Mongol invasions of the 13th century, the Russian attitude has been conditioned to the idea that overwhelming violence — fire and sword, terror, mass rape, looting, pointless torture — is natural if not essential in combat.”
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“The Cheka, Vladimir Lenin’s secret police, found the romanticization of violence to be intoxicating. It described itself in public statements as “the sword and flame of the revolution.” This summed up the Bolsheviks’ idealized ruthlessness, elevating their cause above any humane concern, such as justice or respect for life. In an anthology of poetry published by the Cheka, one of its executioners began his contribution: “There is no greater joy, nor better music/ Than the crunch of broken lives and bones.”
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2026/06/02/putin-russia-legacy-military-cruelty/
“WSJ: Vene eliidil hakkab sõda üle viskama. Putinil on justkui suva.”
WSJ | Postimees
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