Contents tagged with Estonia

  • Sibul-2017 joint military exercises begin in Estonia

    In Estonia, military exercises, named Sibul 2017 ("Onion 2017") and organized by the volunteer military organization Kaitseliit (Estonian Defense League), were launched on Saturday.

    The maneuvers are being held at the Central Range of the Defense Force near the town of Tapa, in conjunction with the NATO combat group deployed in Estonia. In the classroom, combat skills will be developed with regard to conventional warfare.

    According to the exercise scenario, the combat and rear companies of …

  • Estonian Ministry of Defense: Russia is ready for military intervention in Belarus

    Russia is ready for military intervention in Belarus, just as it did in Ukraine, if the political situation changes in an undesirable direction for the Kremlin, stated the head of the Estonian Defense Forces, Lieutenant General Riho Terras in an interview with ERR.

    "Like Ukraine, Russia is planning military steps against Belarus if the political situation changes there. Russian military and security structures are preparing to intervene and conduct a military operation in Belarus if necessary. …

  • Estonia says it has every right to deny Russian journalists accreditation if they undermine country’s security

    The Estonian presidency of the Council of the European Union said that it has a right to deny Russian journalists accreditation if it considers that their actions are aimed at subversive activities, reported EUobserver.

    "Estonia reserves the right of not accrediting or considering as media such channels [like those belonging to the Rossiya Today group] whose editorial offices are not independent, who do not follow good journalistic practice," the Estonian presidency stated.

    Estonia also said …

  • Turchynov discussed Russia-Belarus Zapad 2017 exercises with Estonian defense minister

    National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) Secretary Oleksandr Turchynov met with Estonian Defense Minister Jüri Luik, the NSDC website announced.

    The two discussed the matter of deepening bilateral collaboration in military technology. Furthermore, they devoted a lot of attention to discussing the Zapad 2017 strategic staff and command exercises.

    According to Turchynov, against the background of the difficult economic situation in Russia, such large-scale drills “cannot be simply regular …

  • The US will station a company of paratroopers in Estonia during the Russian-Belarusian Zapad exercises

    The United States will send a company of paratroopers to Estonia during the time when Russian-Belarussian exercises Zapad 2017 are held. According to the main headquarters of the Estonian Defense Forces, 150 servicemen will arrive at the end of August, BNS agency informs.

    In September this year, Russian-Belarusian exercises Zapad 2017 will be held in the territory of Belarus where Russia will mobilize more than 4,000 wagons for the transportation of weapons and soldiers.

    Ukraine expressed  …

  • Foreign Minister of Estonia: twice in the past decade Russia has shown that it can invade its neighbors

    The Estonian Foreign Minister, Sven Mikser, said that Russia is a country which is ready to go to war with its neighbors to achieve political goals, in an interview with Current Time, commenting on the recent visit of the U.S. Vice President Mike Pence, Postimees reports.

    Answering the correspondent's question as to whether Estonia feels safe, Mikser answered, "Estonia definitely feels that our allies are protecting us. We believe that the deterrence policy really works. We neighbor a large …

  • Estonian Foreign Minister calls Nord Stream 2 project dangerous for Europe

    The Nord Stream 2 project may have negative consequences for the energy security of Europe, stated the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Estonia, Sven Mikser, in an interview with Tagesspiegel.

    "We cannot allow a supplier to use energy as an instrument of political pressure. Before the project continues, we must very accurately analyze its consequences," said the Estonian Foreign Minister, who is currently presiding over the Council of the European Union.

    "If the analysis shows that Nord Stream 2 …

  • Estonian defense minister: NATO to deploy additional forces in Baltic states during Russia and Belarus’s Zapad 2017 drills

    During the large-scale Russian and Belarusian Zapad 2017 military exercises, additional NATO forces will be deployed in the Baltic States, as stated on Thursday June 29 in Brussels by Estonian Defense Minister Jüri Luik at a meeting of the defense ministers of NATO member states, ERR reports.

    “One topic which was discussed in great detail at this meeting was the Zapad large-scale Russian military exercises which will be held in September,” Luik said.

    “All NATO early warning systems are ready …

  • Russia expelled Estonian Consul General in St. Petersburg

    The Russian authorities sent a letter to Arti Hilpus, Ambassador of Estonia in Moscow, in connection with the expulsion of two Russian diplomats from the country and declared two members of the diplomatic mission of Estonia persona non grata, as published on the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia.

    The Foreign Ministry ordered the Consul General of Estonia in St. Petersburg, Jaanus Kirikmäe and the head of the Pskov Chancellery of the Estonian Consulate General in St. …

  • Saber Knight multinational military exercises begin in Estonia near the border with Russia

    In the Estonian city of Voru, near the border with Russia, the international command and staff exercises “Saber Knight” have started, as reported by the press service of the Estonian Defense Forces.

    As noted, with the participation of brigade staffs from Latvia, Lithuania and Denmark, a total of about 700 soldiers and officers are involved in the exercises. Servicemen from the United States and Slovakia are also participating in the maneuvers.

    According to Eero Rebo, commander of the Estonian …