Former Head of the Estonian Defense Forces Maj. Gen. Martin Herem said Estonia would not win a decisive victory in a war unless it invests more funds in defenses and more quickly. The war in Ukraine ought to have taught the West, including Estonia, a number of lessons, upon whichContinue Reading
That Estonia is among the top NATO member states in terms of defense contributions gives the country a disproportionately strong voice when advocating with member states of that organization and of the European Union for defense spending, Prime Minister Kaja Kallas (Reform) said Monday. Speaking to “Välisilm,” the prime ministerContinue Reading
Many former high-ranking military officers are moving into prominent defense sector roles as the sector grows. Retired or reservist, senior military officers have transitioned into roles within defense industry companies, a trend partly attributed to the significant growth of the defense market, according to security expert Meelis Oidsalu, who wasContinue Reading
The state is ramping up efforts to detect and counter drones along Estonia’s eastern border and around its major towns and critical or sensitive infrastructure zones. With a hostile eastern neighbor using drone tech more and more, not only for hybrid activities but for criminal activities such as smuggling, aContinue Reading
There are currently 34,000 Ukrainian war refugees living in Estonia. ETV show “AK. Nädal” went to meet some of them to find out how they have adapted to life here and whether they see their future in Estonia or Ukraine. According to the Estonian Social Insurance Board (Sotsiaalkindlustusamet), in general,Continue Reading
The deployment of North Korean units on the Ukrainian frontline will not lead to major changes for the time being and they will in all likelihood suffer heavy losses, said Col. Ants Kiviselg, head of the Estonian Defense Forces (EDF) Intelligence Center. However, Russian forces still hold the initiative inContinue Reading
Regular households in Finland and Sweden can set their annual electricity bills at levels 30-40 percent lower than those charged to comparable households in Estonia. The main factors behind lower electricity prices in the Scandinavian nations are the large reliance on hydroelectric and nuclear power. Estonia has no mountainous terrain,Continue Reading
The risk of short-term high electricity prices this coming winter is at least as great as last year, said Marko Allikson, a member of the management board of Baltic Energy Partners. Marko Allikson said on the talk show “Esimene stuudio” that forecasts indicate average electricity prices this coming winter willContinue Reading
The organizer of a platform intended to raise money for drones for Ukraine has still not repaid outstanding funds as promised last month, and has also been portraying himself as an active raise of donations despite the last round not fully reaching its intended destination. Henri Laupmaa, organizer of theContinue Reading
Estonia will help internally displaced people (IDPs) prepare for the coming winter in Ukraine after Russia destroyed around 80 percent of the country’s energy infrastructure. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs gave €513,660 to its strategic humanitarian aid partners Mondo and the Estonian Refugee Council which are working in Ukraine. Mondo willContinue Reading