The Baltic States’ Volunteer Defence Organisations
By Tony Lawrence
ICDS
“Europe's armed forces need more personnel to meet today's military challenges. Volunteer defence organisations, such as those operating in the three Baltic states, can be part of the solution. They can also help better attune society to the requirements of comprehensive defence.”
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“The Estonian Defence League was established in 1918 and the Lithuanian Riflemen’s Union in 1919, during Estonia and Lithuania’s wars of independence. Both contributed to the fostering of a sense of national identity and pride and reflected the determination of the Baltic populations to secure and safeguard statehood. Between the two world wars, their promotion of societal involvement in defence, and of cultural and sports activities would later be foundational to the Baltic guerrilla movements operating against the Soviet regime between 1944 and the mid-1950s—the ‘Forest Brothers’.”
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“The two organisations were disbanded in 1940 during the first Soviet occupation but were re-established towards the end of the Cold War, the LRU in 1989 and the EDL in 1990. Their nurturing of national cohesion and resistance was an important contribution to the restoration of Estonia’s and Lithuania’s independence.”
https://icds.ee/en/citizens-in-defence-the-baltic-states-volunteer-defence-organisations/
Zelenskyy visited Tallinn
UPI | Estonian World | Other sources
“… before joining the prime ministers of the Nordic and Baltic countries for a summit on Ukraine, defence and European security.”
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“President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and First Lady Olena Zelenska visited Tallinn.”
Embassy of Ukraine in the Republic of Estonia
“Opinion: Allied Powers' Grand Feast in Tallinn.”
Postimees
“Zelenskyy and Karis Meet as Estonia Backs Ukraine’s EU and NATO Future.”
United24
“Estonia’s President Sees Summer Window to End War.”
Kyiv Post
“Ukraine is ready to share drone technology with Nordic and Baltic countries, Zelenskyy says.”
AP
“Estonia, Ukraine stop short of signing drone deal after Zelenskyy visit.”
ERR
“Zelensky reveals why Ukrainian drones end up in Baltic airspace.”
BNN
“Ukraine is ready to share drone technology with Nordic and Baltic countries, Zelenskyy says.”
Statesman
“Ukraine signs drone pact with Latvia, defense deal with Estonia.”
MSN
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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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Eesti-ai: The next stage in Estonia’s digital transformation
Institute of Central Europe
“Estonia launched Eesti- ai in 2026 – a programme in which the adoption of artificial intelligence is treated as an instrument of economic policy. The declared goal is ambitious: to double labour productivity by 2035 and increase GDP by 50% within ten years. The approved pool of fifteen flagship projects operationalises this ambition, while at the same time opening up a number of questions regarding the feasibility of the expected effects, their distribution within society, and the legitimacy of the decision-making process.”
https://ies.lublin.pl/en/comments/eesti-ai-the-next-stage-in-estonias-digital-transformation/
Tallinn pani kesklinna püsti moodul-varjumiskoha
ERR
“Tallinna linn paigaldas neljapäeval Juhkentali 10 haljasalale moodul-varjumiskoha, mis on esimene omataoline avalikku linnaruumi paigaldatava varjumiskoht Eestis.”
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“Varjumiskoha kinkis linnale ehitusettevõte Citysec Industry ja see põhineb Ukrainas kasutusel oleval standardiseeritud raudbetoonlahendusel, mis on välja töötatud elanike lühiajaliseks kaitsmiseks ohuolukordades.”
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“Varjumiskoht on valmistatud tugevdatud raudbetoonist ning selle konstruktsioon on mõeldud vähendama plahvatusest, lööklainest ja lendavatest kildudest tulenevaid riske. Lahendus on modulaarne, mis võimaldab seda vajaduse korral kiiresti teisaldada, laiendada või paigaldada erinevatesse asukohtadesse.”
https://www.err.ee/1610052511/tallinn-pani-kesklinna-pusti-moodul-varjumiskoha
Estonians marry less and divorce more often
ERR
“According to data from Statistics Estonia, residents of Estonia entered into 5,998 marriages in 2025, 363 fewer than in 2024. This included 139 marriages between same-sex couples.”
https://news.err.ee/1610053423/estonians-marry-less-and-divorce-more-often
Estonia unveiled a new drone roadmap
ERR
“… aimed at expanding counter-drone capabilities, easing testing rules and speeding up adoption across defense and the economy. … Estonia already has the technical capability, but regulations limit real-world deployment and testing.”
https://news.err.ee/1610054464/gallery-government-unveils-new-estonian-drone-roadmap
“Tartu Aviation Academy drone test facility enlarges training scope.”
ERR
Estonia Installs First Modular Shelter in Tallinn
Kyiv Post
“… to evaluate how such infrastructures could function within the urban environment. The shelter was installed on Thursday in the green area at Juhkentali 10, marking it the first modular concrete shelter placed in a public urban space in Estonia.”
https://www.kyivpost.com/post/77995
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“Estonia grapples with fiscal strain as surging defence spending tests budget.”
BNE
“Opinion: Interests of large European countries might not align with Estonia’s.”
ERR
“Estonia and Latvia: Life on NATO's eastern edge.”
Deutsche Welle
“Estonian experts warn of risks as US eyes military drawdown in Europe.”
ERR
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Around the Baltic Sea
Moscow Tells Baltics NATO Will Not Come to Their Rescue
By Paul Goble
Jamestown
“Moscow is now pushing a propaganda line that has consequences not only for those countries but for all members of NATO. Senior Russian officials are now publicly declaring that the Baltic countries, all members of NATO, cannot count on the alliance to come to their aid as they expect and as Article 5 of the treaty requires if Moscow attacks them.”
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“Such a claim, one arising from Putin’s assessment of the current state of NATO amid divisions in Europe, will intimidate some alliance members and pave the way for Russian aggression unless NATO unequivocally rejects it.”
https://jamestown.org/moscow-tells-baltics-nato-will-not-come-to-their-rescue/
USA tahab viia Euroopast ära kolmandiku NATO hävitajatest
Postimees
“New York Times lehe andmetel teavitati liitlasi plaanist juuni alguses kirjaliku dokumendiga. Selle kohaselt väheneks Euroopale eraldatud F-16 ja F-15E hävitajate arv umbes 150 lennukilt sajani. Samuti vähendataks mereluurelennukite arvu 26-lt 15-le ning võetaks Euroopast ära kõik kaheksa seni kasutuses olnud õhutankurlennukit.”
https://maailm.postimees.ee/8490005/usa-tahab-viia-euroopast-ara-kolmandiku-nato-havitajatest
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“Eksperdid: USA sõjatehnika vähenemist Euroopas ei tohi alahinnata.”
ERR
“USA sõjaliste võimete väljaviimine teeb Euroopat kindlasti nõrgemaks.”
ERR
Russia building infrastructure near Europe's border
Ukrainska Pravda
“New barracks and clusters of military equipment have been identified in Pechenga, around 10 km from the Norwegian border in Lapland. Similar developments are underway in Petrozavodsk near the Finnish border.”
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“Equipment is also being amassed in Sapernoye near Finland, Luga in Pskov Oblast and Baltiysk in Russia's Kaliningrad Oblast.”
https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2026/06/10/8038671/
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“Fate of Ethnic Finns in USSR Detailed in New Book and Electronic Data Base.”
By Paul Goble
“Kaks telefoni ja VPN: kuidas Venemaal internetipiirangutest mööda hiilitakse.”
ERR
“Ukrainian drone experts arriving in Latvia next week.”
LRT
“Using NATO jets to down drones not a long-term solution, say Latvian President and PM.”
LSM
“Russia deflects drones into Finland for 'gratifying effect', expert warns.”
Yle
“The Kremlin Wasted Its Moment. A Window of a Thousand Opportunities Has Now Opened for Ukraine.”
Postimees
“EDF intelligence: Russia has not achieved its strategic goals.”
ERR
“Kallas defends EU’s foreign service after French paper questions its survival.”
Politico Europe
“U.K.’s military spending plans are in tatters just weeks before a key NATO summit.”
Politico Europe
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Fully autonomous drones have killed Russian soldiers for the first time
NewScientist | The National Interest
“According to a senior Ukrainian defense industry official, the Ukrainian military has experimented with artificial intelligence-controlled “Terminator” autonomous drones to attack and kill Russian troops.”
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“There has been one operational test in 2024 in an undisclosed location of the battlefield involving 10 Terminator quadcopter drones that operated completely independently. The autonomous systems covered up to three miles of territory, engaging anything on their path based on predetermined artificial intelligence inputs.”
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https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/ukraines-drones-can-now-kill-without-human-in-loop-sa-061226
Ukraine’s Drone Warfare Is Changing Battlefield Medicine
The National Interest
“Drone lethality is making it difficult to rescue wounded soldiers from the frontlines. Defense planners should take notice.”
https://nationalinterest.org/feature/how-ukraines-drone-warfare-is-changing-battlefield-medicine
Russia’s Threadbare Air Defenses
CEPA
“Ukraine began expanding long-range strike operations deep into Russian territory in 2024. What started as sporadic strikes have evolved into a sustained campaign targeting oil infrastructure, air bases, logistics hubs, and increasingly, Russian air defenses themselves. By removing the most sophisticated anti-air systems, the Ukrainians are effectively creating corridors for attacks against key wartime targets.”
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“The drone campaign is gradually exposing weaknesses in Moscow’s defenses through persistence and scale. Even the air defense ring surrounding the Russian capital has been penetrated with growing frequency, forcing Vladimir Putin to tone down his Victory Day parade on May 9.”
https://cepa.org/article/russias-threadbare-air-defenses/
Ukraine to ask for $20B to make Russia ‘burn’
Politico Europe
“Ukraine wants an additional $20 billion from its allies to cement its temporary battlefield advantage over Russia, a senior Ukrainian defense official told Politico.
“Everyone sees that Russia is burning, and we want it to burn even more, but we need financing to do it,” said the official, speaking on condition of anonymity.”
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“The $20 billion ask will be made on June 18 at the next meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, also known as the Ramstein Format, where allies organize financial and military aid for Kyiv.”
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