Estonia is stepping up its preparations for a potential threat from Russia, making defense planning a part of everyday life.
The country's authorities are expanding its network of shelters, conducting large-scale evacuation exercises, training students to fly drones and increasing military spending, writes The Wall Street Journal.
Particular attention is being paid to the eastern regions of the country bordering Russia. In the city of Tartu, local authorities are already practicing scenarios for mass evacuations and responding to surprise attacks. By 2028, temporary shelters for 100,000 people are planned to be built here.
Kindergarten principals are undergoing crisis response training and are given emergency equipment, including radios, first-aid kits and field stoves.
Meanwhile, Estonian high school students are being taught how to operate drones, and large-scale NATO military exercises involving armored vehicles and hundreds of drones are regularly held in Estonia and neighboring Latvia.
Tallinn is convinced that the best way to avoid war is to demonstrate to Moscow its readiness to defend itself. That is why the country emphasizes not only military capabilities, but also the preparation of the civilian population for crisis situations.
„This is how deterrence works. You always have to be ready to prevent a Russian invasion. "The more you prepare, the more prepared you are, the more Russia sees that it will not be easy to win," said Marek Kochv, an expert at the International Center for Defense and Security.
According to Estonian officials, Russia currently does not pose a direct military threat to the country, as a significant part of its resources are engaged in the war against Ukraine. After the end of hostilities, however, Moscow can focus its attention on the Baltic region.
Estonia is already among the leaders in NATO in terms of defense spending as a share of its gross domestic product. The government plans to increase this figure to 5.4% of GDP by the end of the decade.
The funds are mainly aimed at the development of air defense systems, unmanned technologies and highly mobile American missile artillery systems.
Amidst discussions about a possible reduction of the American military presence in Europe, Tallinn is also actively strengthening cooperation with other NATO allies, primarily the United Kingdom and France.
One of the largest military events in recent months was the “Spring Storm” exercise held in Estonia. Approximately 12,000 NATO servicemen participated.
Ukrainian specialists also joined the training, sharing their experience in modern drone warfare with their allies.
For residents of eastern Estonia, the presence of allied military forces has already become a habit. Columns of British and French armored vehicles regularly move along local roads, a reminder that the country is preparing for any developments on NATO's eastern border.