Estonia moves its elite troops to the border with Russia

Estonia is changing its defense strategy and moving its main combat unit, 1st Brigade, from Tapa to Johvi, approximately 50 kilometers from the border with Russia. The troops will be permanently stationed in the area, with the objective of stopping any potential attack right at the border.

“We must defend the country from the border and prevail in the very first battles,” said Colonel Tarmo Kundla, the brigade’s commander. In Narva, a city located right next to Russia and with a predominantly Russian-speaking population, a base for 200 soldiers is being built, which will be able to accommodate an additional 800 in the event of a crisis.

Estonia does not expect a large-scale war between Russia and NATO in the next two years, but it is considering a limited attack, including a possible occupation of the city of Narva. A ceasefire in Ukraine could allow Moscow to transfer experienced soldiers to the western border.

In May, Tallinn introduced the concept of “active defense.” Estonia has ordered nine HIMARS systems, with missiles capable of striking targets 300 kilometers away, as well as nine South Korean Chunmoo systems. Military spending has increased by 42%, to 2.4 billion euros, equivalent to 5.4% of GDP. The authorities are also preparing civilian infrastructure for crisis situations, including automatic connection to alternative mobile networks.

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