world mirror
Status: 02/19/2023 11:40 a.m
Since Russia attacked Ukraine, many Estonians fear that their freedom is also in danger. Estonia supports Ukraine and takes precautions itself. Not always to the delight of the public.
On the way to the south of Estonia you keep encountering soldiers. A small group with rifles and rocket-propelled grenades is marching along the side of the road. They’re on their way to a military training ground. From Voru, a small town in the south of the country, it is only a 40-minute drive to the Russian border.
The area is a holiday region. Natural forests and lakes. A peaceful idyll. But the calm is deceptive.
Estonia’s distrust of Russia remains
Christian Blenker, ARD Stockholm, Weltspiegel, February 19, 2023
Military exercises – a piece of everyday life
Eda Veeroja and her husband have been running a traditional smoke sauna in the remote woods for many years. A small wooden hut without a chimney. The wood fire must be lit many hours before sweating.
Actually a place of reflection. But the Estonian military has been training with heavy equipment not far from her sauna for months, says the Estonian, who makes a living from the sauna guests. “The training ground is a bit away, but when they fire the cannons, you hear it and feel the vibrations.”
9000 hectares for Estonia’s military
It’s not far from the sauna to the restricted area. Deep in the forest, the Soviets once operated a missile launch facility. Then came Estonia’s independence. Now the Estonian military and soldiers from NATO partner countries are doing their maneuvers here.
The government wants to more than triple the hidden training ground to 9,000 hectares. Kaido Parv built his dream home here. He understands that Estonia wants to show more military presence at this time. However, it annoys him that the huge military training area will in future be right next to his property:
It literally crushes me. It makes me really angry. I understand that soldiers have to shoot somewhere, but I think we have enough practice areas today!
Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Estonian soldiers, together with their NATO partners, have been preparing for an attack on the neighboring country with numerous military exercises – here they are practicing with US anti-tank guided missiles.
Image: REUTERS
Significant increase in defense spending
The war in Ukraine is leaving its mark on Estonia. The Russian attack is a direct threat to security here. You hear that again and again on the road in the Baltic States.
Estonia’s military budget has risen to over a billion euros. And at the same time, the country is supplying Ukraine with howitzers, ammunition and equipment.
Rainer Saks was Estonia’s intelligence chief for many years. Now he advises companies on how to protect themselves against cyber attacks. He currently does not consider a Russian attack on the Baltic States likely. But he sees another danger:
Russia is working to destroy the Western coalition. To achieve this, they have launched various disinformation campaigns. This is something we must face.
Trust in NATO
Despite this, Saks believes it is important for Estonia to continue investing in its military. The three Baltic states have been part of NATO since 2004. The protection of the defense alliance is now paying off.
Russia sees that NATO is reliable and working. You will not launch a large-scale military operation against a NATO country. But of course the situation may change in the future.”
This is one of the reasons why the Estonian military must show a presence in the forests of Voru.
The endurance of the Estonians
In Eda Veeroja’s smoke sauna, the temperature is just right after six hours of wood burning. At around 90 degrees, they want to relieve tension with linden branches. “I hope that people will come to their senses after all. If we have peace within us, there will also be peace around us.”
The Estonians have stamina, not only on the sauna bench, she says. It will somehow be possible to come to an arrangement if more soldiers come to southern Estonia soon.
You can see this and other reports in the Weltspiegel at 6.30 p.m. in the first.