Kaja Kallas set for second term
(The Guardian | Deutsche Welle | France24)
“Her Reform party secured 31% against far-right’s 15% but Kallas must now form a coalition to govern.”
—
https://www.dw.com/en/estonia-kaja-kallas-set-for-second-term-after-election-win/a-64889076
—
Ülevaade: Edukad üllatajad, kõrgelt kukkujad ja rekordarv naisi
Ülle Harju, Postimees
“Kui Kaja Kallas (RE) tõi valimistelt ära rekordilised 31,821 häält, siis tegelikult polnud see eriline üllatus. Kelle häältesaak aga üllatas kas kopsakuse või hoopis kasinusega?”
—
[The article talks about who were the successful surprises, who tragically fell from on-high and that there were a record number of women.]
https://www.postimees.ee/7726600/ulevaade-edukad-ullatajad-korgelt-kukkujad-ja-rekordarv-naisi
Mis juhtus tegelikult pühapäeval?
Mart Raudsaar, Postimees
“Võrreldes eelmisel pühapäeval juhtunuga pakub mulle rohkem huvi see, mis hakkab juhtuma ühel märtsikuisel pühapäeval nelja aasta pärast, kuna järgmiste valimiste seemned on praeguseks juba külvatud. Mis neist kasvab, pole aga kaugeltki veel selge.”
https://elu24.postimees.ee/7728146/mart-raudsaar-mis-juhtus-tegelikult-puhapaeval
EKRE hindas riigi alustalade ründamisel valijate meeleolusid valesti
Kadri Tammepuu, Postimees
[EKRE misjudged the mood of the voters when attacking the foundations of the country.]
Estonia’s general election in a nutshell
By Paavo Kangur
(Estonian World)
“… the theme of these elections was a Freudian fear of death.”
https://estonianworld.com/opinion/estonias-general-election-in-a-nutshell/
Estonian election: Security Trumped Inflation by a Landslide
(Atlantic Council)
“On Sunday, Estonian voters delivered a strong message to their political leaders and the region at large: The ability for Ukraine to fight back against its aggressor is existential for an independent Estonia.”
Six takeaways from Estonia's 2023 Riigikogu elections
(ERR)
“It was a good night for liberal parties. It was a bad night for Center and EKRE.”
https://news.err.ee/1608905345/top-six-takeaways-from-estonia-s-2023-riigikogu-elections
“Coalition talks start in Stenbock House.” - Postimees
“Estonia’s Reform Party starts coalition government talks.” - Toronto Star
“Kallas 'quite optimistic' after first coalition negotiation meeting.” - ERR
“New turnout record set during Estonia's Riigikogu elections.” - ERR
“Estonia’s prime minister wins landslide election victory.” - Financial Times
“European leaders congratulate Kaja Kallas on election win.” - Baltic Times
“Estonia’s pro-Ukraine prime minister Kallas wins reelection.” - AP
“Ukraine’s most committed backer wins a huge election victory in Estonia.” - The Economist
“40 MPs at last Riigikogu failed to get reelected Sunday.” - ERR
“Estonia Election Results Are Being Considered a Blow to Putin.” - Newsweek
“Election results caused surprises in allocation of seats in eastern Estonia.” - ERR
“Why the liberals won, the far-right lost, and other key takeaways.” - Euronews
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Friday 10. March 2023
Ukraina sõjas hukkus esimene eestlane
(Postimees)
“Kaitseliit mälestab Ukrainas Donetski oblastis Bahmuti lähistel teisipäeval suurtükitules langenud relvavenda Ivo Jurakit.
https://www.err.ee/1608910550/ukraina-sojas-hukkus-esimene-eestlane
—
https://www.postimees.ee/7729770/kaitseliit-malestab-ukrainas-langenud-relvavenda-ivo-jurakit
“First Estonian loses life in Ukraine war.” - ERR
“US Army soldiers awarded Estonian mission medals in Võru.” - ERR
Venemaa kehtestas 144 Eesti, Läti ja Leedu ühiskonnategelasele sissesõidukeelu
(Postimees)
“… nende seas on ministrid, parlamendiliikmed, ühiskonnategelased ja ajakirjanikud.”
Russia Imposed Sanctions On 144 Citizens Of Estonia, Latvia, And Lithuania
(RFERL)
“The Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement on March 9 that the move is a response to the three Baltic states' "lobbying for sanctions and other measures against Russia, interference in our internal affairs, and inciting Russophobic moods."
https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-sanctions-144-estonia-latvia-lithuania/32310832.html
Estonia's Supreme Court rejects EKRE's e-voting election complaint
(ERR)
"EKRE had filed a complaint with the Supreme Court on Thursday, March 9 in which the party contested the VVK's verification of the Riigikogu election results on March 5 as well as sought the annulment of this election's electronic voting results. … the resolution of the complaint was not within the Supreme Court's jurisdiction, and Estonia's top court dismissed EKRE's appeal.”
https://news.err.ee/1608911129/estonia-s-supreme-court-rejects-ekre-s-e-voting-election-complaint
“Martin Helme vastus riigikohtu otsusele.” - Postimees
“Riigikohus jättis EKRE valimiskaebuse läbi vaatamata.” - Postimees
“EKRE appeals e-vote result at Supreme Court.” - ERR
“„Tehti Ameerikat!“ Kuidas EKRE ees rullus lahti valimisõhtu kõige traagilisem stsenaarium.” - Eesti Ekspress
Ajalooliselt on naine olnud Eesti ühiskonnas mehega samal pulgal
(Novaator)
"Nüüd viimasel ajal on teadlased hakanud varasemat minevikku uurima ja selgub, et enne ristiusu tulekut oli naisel Eestis tugev positsioon ja kõrge staatus. Eriti kui võrrelda muu maailmaga.”
https://novaator.err.ee/1608908348/ajalooliselt-on-naine-olnud-eesti-uhiskonnas-mehega-samal-pulgal
“Women have historically been equal to men in Estonia.” - ERR
Thursday 9. March
How Estonia Is Planning for the Worst
(Foreign Policy)
“In the most recent poll, conducted a short while after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, 81% of the (Eesti) population believed that armed resistance in case of an attack against their country was definitely or somewhat necessary, 9% more than in 2021. Two-thirds said they were very or somewhat willing to participate in defensive activities according to their capabilities and skills.”
—
“Worryingly, however, 31% said they’d try to leave if the country were attacked, compared to 55% who would stay. (Among non-Estonian citizens, the percentage wanting to leave was particularly high: 40%.) And only one-third said they would know what to do in case of an attack by a hostile state.“
https://foreignpolicy.com/2023/03/07/estonia-defense-planning-russia-ukraine-war/
“Public opinion on national defence.” - Eesti Uuringukeskus OÜ, 2022
“Kaitsevägi ja Kaitseliit saavad sel aastal uued kuulipildujad.” - Postimees
“Estonia is evaluating 8.6mm sniper rifles.” - Shepard Media
Soviet bombs in 1944 strengthened Estonia’s determination to rebuild its independent nation
By Adam Rang
(Estonian World)
“The scale of the devastation inflicted on Tallinn on 9. March 1944 is not immediately obvious to the tourists that flock to its postcard-perfect Old Town today. But the clues are all around. …”
Satellite images reveal Russian activity on Gulf of Finland island
(Yle)
“Yle has revealed that Russia has become increasingly active on the Gogland (Suursaari in Finnish) island since 2014. Gogland is located in the eastern Gulf of Finland. The images show that a radar station as well as five helipads have been built on the island, as confirmed in 2019 by Russian media reports."
—
"Since Russia's invasion of Crimea there has been an increase in the number of paratrooper and special forces exercises in the Gogland region. … incidents of suspected interference with the GPS signals of Finnish aircraft were part of Russia's hybrid strategy, and were likely (originated) from Gogland island.”
Map from Yle
Interview: Estonian President Alar Karis
(VOA)
“Estonia's president has long said that Russia's invasion of Ukraine is not only an attack on a neighboring country but a war on transatlantic values and democracy itself.”
https://www.voanews.com/a/voa-interview-estonian-president-alar-karis/6995149.html
Interview: U.S. Ambassador to Estonia George Kent
(VOA)
[Discussed the effects of Russia’s war against Ukraine.]
https://www.voanews.com/a/us-ambassador-to-estonia-on-russian-threats-nato-expansion/6995162.html
Calculated evil: How Putin’s forces use war crimes and torture to erase Ukrainian identity
(Politico Europe - 3. March)
“The Kremlin’s modus operandi consists of three stages. First comes the targeting of all leaders, whether they be military commanders, politicians, journalists or volunteers — the Russians take out anyone who is potentially considered to be able to resist or protect the civilian population. This is followed by a process of filtration, during which the population is isolated and constantly under surveillance, continually undergoing security checks to ensure there will be no resistance. Thirdly comes the removal of anything Ukrainian: the destruction of books, symbols, and cultural artifacts, the reeducation of children using the Russian curriculum, and much more.”
—
“Wayne Jordash, managing partner of the Global Rights Compliance international human rights law firm, calls himself a hardened war crimes prosecutor, but even he was struck by the methodical, pre-meditated pattern behind the Kremlin’s army war crimes against Ukrainians.”
—
“You cannot achieve that without unlawful detention, torture, the killing of civilians, forcible displacement, abduction of children. But these are the means by which Russia will achieve its military objectives,” Jordash said. “You can’t have this design and scope of brutality against civilians without the aim of targeting Ukraine as a nation. And that’s what I find unusual for an armed conflict. The level of calculation is astonishing.”
“Russia strikes Ukraine with biggest missile barrage in weeks.” - Politico
Wednesday 8. March
Estonia election: i-voting comes of age in the world's 'digital republic' with record ballots
(Euronews)
“For the first time since Internet voting was introduced in Estonia, more digital votes have been cast in this month's general election than physical paper ballots.”
President of Estonia vetoed law on the dismantling of Soviet design elements
(BNN)
“… the law would provide for the dismantling of a number of design elements from the Soviet period …”
-
“The President of Estonia exercised his constitutional right to refuse to approve the law and stated that the wording of the law was unclear and therefore contrary to the constitution. The President is not against the removal of elements of the Soviet period as such and pointed out that currently, the definition of the law uses phrases that can be interpreted in different ways.”
Hungarian parliamentary delegation meets Finnish MPs to discuss Nato bid
(Yle)
“The delegation did not confirm a concrete schedule, so no exact date was given [for Hungarian ratification]. It is up to the Hungarian Parliament to decide. We had a conversation that helped to clear the air," Vanhanen said, adding that Finland fully meets Nato's membership criteria.”
The Astonishing Endurance of Unity on Ukraine
(Foreign Affairs)
“Russia’s Threat to Security and Moral Values Has Bolstered the West’s Resolve.”
https://www.foreignaffairs.com/ukraine/astonishing-endurance-unity-ukraine
If you want to beat Putin in Ukraine, target his wicked little helper in Belarus
By Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya
(The Guardian)
“As long as (Alexander) Lukashenko barks like a Russian lapdog, the Ukrainian struggle for freedom will be tougher. There will be no secure Ukraine without a free Belarus. Lukashenko’s invitation for Russian troops to perform a hybrid occupation of Belarus has placed my country at the centre of the crisis in eastern Europe. Yet it remains part of the solution. Overthrowing Lukashenko would accelerate victory for Ukraine.”
Moldova is resisting Moscow's maskirovka
(Euronews)
“By now, it is quite clear that Russia's hybrid and cloaked attacks against Moldova have gained in momentum over the past month. Moscow is trying to induce internal destabilisation with the help of its "fifth column," consisting of its political pawns in Chișinău.”
Putin Truly Fears Russia’s
Potential Rupture
By Paul Goble
(Jamestown Org.)
“… according to Russian commentator Aleksandr Skobov, compelling reasons underline the possibility that Putin, similar to but if anything even more than earlier Russian rulers, fears that “an abyss” overshadows his rule and that “the fragility of the entire imperial structure” could collapse suddenly and unexpectedly if he were to move away from repression.”
—
““Putin fears that the imperial identity of his state without the support of an authoritarian power will easily divide into regional identities. And then ‘the cursed West’ will absorb into itself ‘the Russian world’ part by part.”
https://jamestown.org/program/putin-truly-fears-russias-potential-rupture/
- Putin’s Forever War -
Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment - 7. & 8. March
(ISW)
“Russian forces lack the capability to exploit the tactical capture of Bakhmut to generate operational effects. … Russian forces additionally likely lack the mechanized forces necessary to advance beyond Bakhmut.“
—
“Russian President Vladimir Putin likely recognizes the Russian military’s current limited capability to sustain a short-term offensive and may pursue a protracted war.”
https://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-march-7-2023
—
https://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-march-8-2023
Putin Benefits from Dragging Out War in Ukraine and Transforming How Russians View the Conflict
By Paul Goble / Maksim Trudolyubov
“Putin would certainly benefit if he were to win in Ukraine while his power and perhaps even his life would be at risk if he loses. But he can avoid the latter if he drags out the war as long as possible …”
http://windowoneurasia2.blogspot.com/2023/03/putin-benefits-from-dragging-out-war-in.html
Latvia: How Russian Journalists in Exile Are Covering the War in Ukraine
By Masha Gessen
(The New Yorker)
“Dozens of media outlets have fled to the capital of Latvia, only to encounter a distrustful public and a set of strictly enforced laws and regulations.”
Wagner Boss 'Cut Off' From Official Channels After Public Ammo Plea
(The Moscow Times)
“In order to stop me from asking for ammunition, they turned off all special [government] phone lines in all of the offices and [Wagner] units … and blocked all [my] passes to the agencies responsible for making decisions,” Prigozhin said in a message posted on his Telegram channel.”
Putin’s Russia summons Stalin from the grave as a wartime ally
(Politico Europe)
“On Sunday, the hundreds of Stalinists who came to Red Square to mark the 70th anniversary of the Soviet dictator’s death were full of bravado and admiration for a man responsible for mass executions, a network of labor camps and forced starvation.”
—
“Standing in front of Soviet founder Vladimir Lenin’s mausoleum on Red Square, longtime Communist Party leader Gennady Zyuganov told journalists Putin could learn “lessons” from Stalin: “It’s time to take action and start fighting in a real way.”
https://www.politico.eu/article/vladimir-putin-russia-summon-joseph-stalin-grave-wartime-ally/
“After 70 years, Stalin’s shadow still looms over Russia and Ukraine – but Putin is a tyrant in his own right.” - The Conversation
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