Latest news with #EstonianDefenceForces
Euronews
25-04-2025
- Business
- Euronews
Estonian government approves additional funding to raise defence spending to 5.4% of GDP
ADVERTISEMENT Estonia has approved a four-year €2.8 billion additional defence funding bill in a bid to meet NATO capability targets. The new spending will push the Baltic country to an average defence spending of 5.4% of GDP through to 2029, up from previous levels of around 3.4%. 'We made a historic decision from the point of view of Estonian national defence. We have never allocated so much additional money to national defence in one year in Estonia,' said Hanno Pevkur, Estonian Defence Minister. 'Already next year, defence spending will rise to about 5.4% of GDP, or over 2% in one year, and it will stay there for quite a long time,' noted Pevkur. 'The four-year average is also 5.4%, and this will give us the opportunity to meet the military capability goals that we have agreed on in NATO,' he added. The government's decision to raise defence spending will result in a substantial increase in the number of military capabilities, equipment and stockpiles as well as more ammunition for the Estonian Defence Forces (EDF). More medium-range air defence, additional engineers, long-range reconnaissance battalions, long-range strike capabilities, modern communications systems, increased naval capabilities, additional personal, among others, are all to be included in the new bill. EDF chief, General Andrus Merilo said that the need to strengthen Estonia's defence stems from a deteriorating security environment caused by Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. He also cited Russia building up its operational capabilities as another threat to Estonia. According to Merilo, Estonia must not only catch up to the enemy's capability development but even outpace it. The additional funding approved by the government decision will be used for precisely that purpose. 'Our security policy situation simply puts us in this position, and in order to be ready for our tasks, we must not only keep up with the military development of our adversary, but if possible, at least take a step forward together with our allies in the coming years,' said Merilo. Estonia's new plans come just weeks before the upcoming NATO summit, set to take place in The Hague on 24-25 June. They also come after US President Donald Trump threatened to shake up the alliance if his demands of a revised 5% figure are not met. Trump had previously called out NATO members for 'piggy-backing' on Washington for their security. The 47th US president had claimed that European allies were not investing into their defence, leaving their defence to NATO, and more broadly the US. He also called the 2% targets agreed upon by members under former Secretary General of the alliance, Jens Stoltenberg, 'pathetic', threatening to withdraw the US from NATO if members do not achieve defence spending of at least 5% of GDP.
Yahoo
28-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Estonian General Staff sees no signs of Russia's readiness for peace
There have been no signs over the past week that Russia is preparing for a possible ceasefire, on the contrary, the Russians are increasing the number of attacks to achieve better negotiation conditions. Source: Lieutenant Colonel Mattias Puusepp, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Estonian Defence Forces, as reported by European Pravda with reference to ERR, Estonian radio and television organisation Quote from Mattias Puusepp: "During the first week of the fourth year of the war, Russia has not made any tactical progress in any sector. Open geolocation data shows that the advance of the Russian armed forces towards Pokrovsk has completely stopped, and Ukraine has managed to increase the perimeter of Pokrovsk's defence with local counterattacks." Details: At the same time, Russian armed groups are not reducing their offensive activity: at the beginning of the month, it dropped to 100 attacks per day and remained at 103 attacks on average over the past week. Puusepe says there are also no signs that Russia is preparing for a possible ceasefire. Quote from Mattias Puusepp: "There is more speculation in the public information about the possibility that Russia will increase the number of attacks, primarily in [Russiaʼs] Kursk [Oblast], to achieve better conditions for negotiations. However, we have information that Russia does not have the balance of power that would allow it to quickly succeed in recapturing Kursk Oblast." More details: The main target remains Pokrovsk and its surroundings, where a quarter to a third of the ground troops' attacks still take place. Quote from Mattias Puusepp: "However, there is less determination in the actions of the Russian Armed Forces, and they are looking for weaknesses in Ukraine's defence on other fronts." Background: The Estonian Defence Intelligence Centre estimated that in January 2025, the seizure of one square kilometre of Ukrainian territory cost Russia the lives of 100 of its soldiers. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
Yahoo
21-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Russians losing valuable equipment in Donetsk Oblast, reports Estonian intelligence
The Intelligence Centre of the Estonian Defence Forces has reported that hostilities on the front lines in Ukraine, as well as in Russia's Kursk Oblast, remain intense. However, Russian forces are struggling to advance and are sustaining losses, including valuable military equipment. Source: Colonel Ants Kiviselg, head of the Intelligence Centre of the Estonian Defence Forces, cited by ERR, an Estonian public broadcaster, as reported by European Pravda Details: Kiviselg noted that the main Russian assault is still concentrated on the Pokrovsk front in Donetsk Oblast. Quote: "Russian troops continue their offensive: they have reached the southern outskirts of Pokrovsk and have taken control of the village of Kotlyne, southwest of Pokrovsk." Details: On the Kurakhove front, Russian forces have captured the villages of Dachne and Ulakly, and their next likely target is the village of Kostiantynopil. There is a risk of Ukrainian units being encircled in this area, but the presence of the Vovcha River to the north of the potential "cauldron" serves as a natural defensive barrier, he added. Kiviselg emphasised that Russian advances have been slow, with an average territorial gain of just one sq km per day in February, at the cost of losing valuable equipment. Ukrainian forces have reportedly destroyed a Russian S-350 Vityaz air defence system and, for the first time, a TOS-2 heavy flamethrower system. Both were neutralised in Donetsk. Kiviselg estimates that Russian forces appear to be facing issues with artillery supply and deployment. Quote: "There are reports that Russia is expecting new deliveries of 122 mm and 152 mm artillery ammunition from North Korea, as well as various types of missiles." More details: Kiviselg added that Russia's reliance on ammunition supplies, personnel transfers and equipment from North Korea and other allied countries indicates a significant dependence on external support, despite Russian efforts to present a different narrative. Background: UK intelligence previously highlighted data from the Russian independent outlet Verstka, which reported that Russian military command is pressuring men mobilised in 2022 to sign contracts with the Defence Ministry. Additionally, the Estonian Defence Forces' Intelligence Centre estimated that in January 2025, Russia lost 100 soldiers for every sq km of Ukrainian territory it occupied. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
