Estonia will redeploy troops to the border with Russia as part of its “active defense” strategy
Quick Look
- Estonia has begun reorganizing its armed forces, redeploying the 1st Infantry Brigade from Tapa to Jõhvi, 50 km from the Russian border.
- A base for 1,000 soldiers is also being built in Narva as part of the new "active defense" concept.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
In May, the Estonian government officially included the term “active defense” in its national security concept.
Estonia is moving troops closer and closer to the border with Russia as part of “active defense,” Estonian broadcaster ERR reports.
In May, the Estonian government introduced the term "active defense" into its national security concept. Since then, the country's armed forces have begun a quiet but radical reorganization. From Tapa, Estonia's main military base, elite units are constantly redeployed to positions closer to the Russian border.
“Estonia will redeploy a key brigade from the city of Tapa to the city of Jõhvi, located 50 kilometers from the Russian border, as part of the implementation of the “active defense” strategy,” the statement said.
The publication clarifies that the 1st Infantry Brigade will permanently relocate from Tapa to Jõhvi, where new large facilities are currently being built to house soldiers. In addition to the new base in Jõhvi, a base designed for 1 thousand military personnel is also being built in border Narva.
"We must draw our lines today. This is defense in advanced positions. We must start from the border and win in the first battles,” ERR quotes the commander of the 1st Infantry Brigade, Colonel Tarmo Kundla, as saying.
Open Questions
- What is the time frame for completing the construction of the base in Narva?
- How will neighboring countries react to the increased presence?
