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☆ Russia's NATO neighbors are building hundreds of bunkers and anti-tank ditches in case of an invasion
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-15 | by ( Mia Jankowicz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . AdvertisementEstonia, Lithuania, and Latvia are busy building massive defensive installations along their collective 1,000 miles of border with Russia and Belarus. The Baltic Defense Line, comprising hundreds of bunkers and other defensive measures, was a key part of an agreement struck between the three countries last month, prompted by the war in nearby Ukraine. Advertisement"A Baltic defensive line is a huge project," Lukas Milevski, a research fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute, wrote recently. A diagram of prototype bunkers published by Estonia's defense ministry shows how the oblong structures are designed to fit into a T-shaped dugout, their entrance protected by earthworks.

Persons: —, 🛡️, evkur, e cade, " ERR, Baker, ure, ely, vic, ted as say Organizations: Service, Baltic Defense, ici Locations: Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Eston, ain

☆ Belarus adopts new military doctrine involving nuclear weapons
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-19 | by ( Mariya Knight | Chris Lau | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —Belarus on Friday adopted a new military doctrine that – if approved – would be the first step toward deploying nuclear weapons across the country. The Union State of Belarus and Russia Treaty sets up a legal basis for a wide-ranging alliance between the two countries. Baltic states reinforce bordersThe move by Belarus came as neighboring Baltic states signed an agreement to reinforce their borders with Belarus and Russia. During an interview with state news agency Belta in August last year, Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko said his country did not “bring nuclear weapons here in order to scare someone.”“Nuclear weapons represent a strong deterring factor. But these are tactical nuclear weapons, not strategic ones.

Persons: Viktor Khrenin, ”, Khrenin, “, Vladimir Putin, Alexander Lukashenko, Hanno Pevkur Organizations: CNN, ” Belarusian, Belarus ’, Collective Security, Organization, Union State, NATO, The Union, The Union State of, Russia Treaty, Belarusian People’s Assembly, Novosti, UN, OSCE, ” Minsk, Estonian Defense Ministry, Estonian Minister of Defense, Belta Locations: Belarus, Republic of Belarus, Russian, Russia, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, The Union State, The Union State of Belarus, Ukraine, NATO, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Baltic, Estonia, Estonian

☆ NATO boosts Baltic patrols after undersea infrastructure damage
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Navy ships sail during the Northern Coasts 2023 exercise in the Baltic Sea, September 18, 2023. REUTERS/Janis Laizans/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsBRUSSELS, Oct 19 (Reuters) - NATO is stepping up patrols in the Baltic Sea following recent damage to undersea infrastructure in the region, the transatlantic military alliance said on Thursday. A fleet of four NATO minehunters is also being dispatched to the area," NATO said in a statement. "NATO will continue to adapt its maritime posture in the Baltic Sea and will take all necessary steps to keep Allies safe." The buildup illustrates that NATO allies are vigilant and ready for action, Estonian Defence Minister Hanno Pevkur said.

Persons: Janis Laizans, Dylan White, Hanno Pevkur, Andrew Gray, Andrius, Sudip Kar, Gupta, Ed Osmond Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, NATO, Baltic, Estonian Defence, European Union, Andrius Sytas, Thomson Locations: Baltic, Rights BRUSSELS, Sweden, Estonia, Finnish, Estonian, Finland, Tallinn, Brussels, Vilnius

STOCKHOLM (AP) — Sweden on Tuesday reported partial damage to an undersea telecommunications cable in the Baltic Sea running to Estonia that authorities believe occurred at the same time as damage to an undersea gas pipeline and telecom cable from Finland to Estonia. Finland launched an investigation into possible sabotage after reporting the damage to its gas pipeline to Estonia last week. Finnish and Estonian gas system operators on Oct. 8 said they noted an unusual drop in pressure in the Balticconnector pipeline after which they shut down the gas flow. The Finnish government on Oct. 10 said there was damage both to the gas pipeline and to a telecommunications cable between the two NATO countries. Later Tuesday, Estonian Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur said that the exact reason for the failure of the cable between Sweden and Estonia still needs to be clarified.

Persons: Carl, Oskar Bohlin, Bohlin, “, Pål Jonson, ” Pål Jonson, Hanno Pevkur, Pevkur, Ulf Kristersson, Kristersson Organizations: STOCKHOLM, —, Civil Defense, Baltic News Service, Swedish Defense, Estonian, NATO, Swedish Locations: — Sweden, Baltic, Estonia, Finland, Sweden, Swedish, Estonian, Hiiumaa, Ukraine, Germany, Russia, Danish, Bornholm, Denmark

A view of the Balticconector pipeline as it is pulled into the sea in Paldiski, Estonia in an undated handout photo taken in 2019. ELERING/Handout via REUTERS/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsVILNIUS/HELSINKI, Oct 11 (Reuters) - The damage to the Baltic Sea gas pipeline that burst on Sunday was caused by "quite heavy force", Estonian Defence Minister Hanno Pevkur said on Wednesday, a day after Finland said it could have been a deliberate action. The Balticconnector subsea gas pipeline and a telecommunications cable connecting Finland and Estonia were damaged on Sunday. On Tuesday, Helsinki said the damage was likely caused by "outside activity" and that the cause was being investigated. Location of damaged gas pipe"It can clearly be seen that these damages are caused by quite heavy force," Pevkur told Reuters, adding that investigators were not ruling out anything at this stage.

Persons: Hanno Pevkur, Pevkur, Henri Vanhanen, Andrius Sytas, Anne Kauranen, Tom Little, Gwladys Fouche, Terje Solsvik Organizations: REUTERS, Estonian Defence, Reuters, Finnish Institute for International Affairs, NATO, Thomson Locations: Paldiski, Estonia, Handout, VILNIUS, HELSINKI, Baltic, Finland, Helsinki, Vilnius, Malmo

☆ Estonia and Latvia look to purchase mid-range air defence from Germany
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

VILNIUS, May 21 (Reuters) - European Union and NATO members Estonia and Latvia will begin negotiations with Germany's Diehl Defence for the purchase of a medium-range air defence system, Estonia's Defence Ministry said on Sunday. The cost of the Iris-T SLM air defence system and additional capabilities such as infrastructure, personnel, training, equipment, will be determined at the negotiations, which could be concluded during the summer, it added. “Our objective is to ensure operational medium-range air defence capabilities for Estonia by 2025, which means that the first systems should arrive in 2024,” Estonia's Defence Minister Hanno Pevkur said. The purchase will be led by Estonia Centre for Defence Investment. Last October, Estonia and Latvia were among 14 European NATO partners to sign a letter of intent to jointly procure air defence systems as Russia's war in Ukraine highlighted shortages.

☆ Estonia says China's peace plan to end Ukraine's war is 'extremely unfair'
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-24 | by ( Sumathi Bala | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

watch nowChina's peace proposal to end the war in Ukraine is "extremely unfair," since the plan doesn't respect the territorial integrity of the country, said the permanent secretary of Estonia's Ministry of Defense. Beijing issued a 12-point peace plan in February. But China's plan hasn't been fair to Ukraine's people, he said. "That is something I would say [is] extremely unfair to Ukrainian people who have been fighting for their freedom." No breakthrough at Xi-Putin meetingChinese President Xi Jinping's three-day visit to Russia concluded on Wednesday.

BRUSSELS, March 20 (Reuters) - European Union countries on Monday agreed a 2 billion euro plan to send 1 million artillery rounds to Ukraine over the next year by digging into their own stockpiles and teaming up to buy more shells. The joint procurement will be limited to companies from the EU and Norway, which has close economic ties to the bloc. Some EU governments wanted the initiative to be open to a broader market, arguing this would help get munitions more quickly to Ukraine. But others said EU money should go to EU companies and insisted they would have capacity to meet demand. German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius, whose country is taking part in the joint procurement initiative, described it as "new territory" for the EU.

☆ United States ready to defend Baltic allies, defense secretary says
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-16 | by ( Andrius Sytas | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

VILNIUS, Feb 16 (Reuters) - U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said the United States was ready to defend the Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania if required, and will keep its military presence in the region. Speaking in Tallinn after talks with Estonian leaders, he said the U.S. will continue to keep a "persistent, rotational" military presence in the region. "The United States remains steadfastly committed to the freedom and sovereignty of our Baltic allies," Austin told the news conference. The three Baltic States, neighbours of Russia and its ally Belarus, were once ruled from Moscow but are now part of NATO and the European Union. Austin in Tallinn reiterated the United States would be supporting Ukraine with military equipment, and said he expects Russia to continue heavy losses of its "ill-equipped and ill-trained" military personnel.

☆ Eleven NATO countries pledge new military aid for Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-19 | by ( Andrius Sytas | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] British NATO troops stand guard during a news conference of British Secretary of State for Defence Ben Wallace, Baltic defence ministers and representatives from other NATO members in Tapa Army Base, Estonia, January 19, 2023. REUTERS/Ints KalninsTAPA MILITARY BASE, Estonia, Jan 19 (Reuters) - A group of 11 NATO countries, including Britain and Poland, pledged a raft of new military aid to support Ukraine's war with Russia on Thursday ahead of a crunch meeting on arms for Kyiv scheduled to take place in Germany on Friday. "The West must stay united and continue to support Ukraine with military aid," Estonian Defence Minister Hanno Pevkur told a news conference in his home country, held jointly with his British counterpart and other officials. Gathering at a military base, the officials pledged missiles, stinger air defence systems, anti-aircraft guns, machine guns, training, and other equipment and services. Britain, which has already announced plans to send tanks to Ukraine, will also send 600 Brimstone missiles, Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said as he outlined details.

☆ Analysis: U.S. Republicans aim at Ukraine aid but unlikely to block it
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-21 | by ( Patricia Zengerle | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

All 57 House votes against a bill providing more than $40 billion for Ukraine in May came from Republicans. Anderson said some Republicans have viewed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's administration as corrupt since Trump's first impeachment trial. House Democrats voted to impeach Trump in 2019 on charges he held up military aid for Kyiv to put pressure on Zelenskiy to investigate one of Biden's sons. Several defense industry executives said they viewed the Republican comments on Ukraine aid as political rhetoric ahead of the midterms, not a threat. A Reuters/Ipsos opinion survey this month showed 73% of Americans felt the United States should continue to support Kyiv.

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