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CNN —Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has warned that Europe is in a “pre-war era” but still has a “long way to go” before its ready to confront the threat posed by Russia. We haven’t seen a situation like this since 1945,” Tusk said in an interview with German newspaper Die Welt published Friday. Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly denied that Russia intends to attack NATO countries. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk and French President Emmanuel Macron in Berlin, Germany, March 15, 2024. Obviously, he feels the need to justify the increasingly violent attacks on civilian sites in Ukraine,” Tusk said.

Persons: Donald Tusk, ” Tusk, “, Vladimir Putin, Olaf Scholz, Emmanuel Macron, Odd Andersen, Tusk, –, ”, Joe Biden, Donald Trump, doesn’t, Putin, “ Putin Organizations: CNN, Polish, Welt, NATO, European Union, Getty, Law, Justice Party, Poland, Crocus City Hall, Dubrovka, Chechen Locations: Europe, Russia, “, ”, Ukraine, Russian, Sweden, Finland, Baltics, Estonia, Lithuania, Moldova, France, Germany, Poland, Polish, Berlin, Moscow, Crocus, Beslan

☆ As Trump blasts NATO allies for not paying for defense, these front-line countries are readying for war
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-26 | by ( Chris Panella | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

But as Russia's bloody war in Ukraine enters its third year, and the threat to NATO countries, particularly those on Russia's borders, grows, the Baltic states are investing in their defense more than ever. Shawn CooverThe talk came just on the heels of Trump's most recent attack on NATO members who he deems aren't paying their 'fair share." Last week, the former president said that he would keep the US in NATO should European countries pay and "play fair." He said the US "was paying 90% of NATO," and that without the US, NATO "literally doesn't even exist." "We've reinstated conscription, so we're building up our armed forces," an unpopular move that Latvian President Edgars Rinkēvičs is pushing other NATO members to do, too.

Persons: —, Donald Trump, Margus Tsahkna, Vladimir Putin, Tsahkna, Shawn Coover, Trump, ALAIN JOCARD, Olaf Scholz, Emmanuel Macron, isn't, Macron, Krišjānis Kariņš, Kariņš, Thomas Wiegold, We've, Edgars Rinkēvičs, Rinkēvičs Organizations: Service, NATO, Business, Hudson Institute, Washington DC, Estonian, US Marine Corps, Staff, Getty, Latvian, Financial Times Locations: Ukraine, Baltic, Washington, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Russia, Russian, China, Europe, NATO, Poland, estonian, Rakvere, AFP, Baltics, France, Germany, Russia's, Greece, Belarus, Finland, Romania, Hungary

Washington Approves $228 Million in US Military Aid to the Three Baltic States, Estonia SaysEstonia's defense officials say the U.S. Congress has passed a bill that involves a total of $228 million in military and defense aid to Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania this year under the Baltic Security Initiative

Persons: Estonia's Organizations: Washington, Aid, . Congress, Baltic Security Locations: Baltic States, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania

☆ Russia is returning to its Cold War posture with plans to increase troops along its NATO borders, Lithuania's PM warns
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-22 | by ( Sinéad Baker | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Russia plans to increase its troops along its border with NATO, Lithuania's prime minister said. Ingrida Šimonytė said Russia is returning to a Cold War posture and Europe needs to be prepared. AdvertisementRussia is returning to its Cold War posture and is preparing to seriously grow the number of troops that it has along its shared borders with NATO, Lithuania's prime minister warned. Ingrida Šimonytė told Business Insider in an interview that the rebuilding of Russia's military capacities on its borders with NATO member states means that it is "returning to the Cold War sort of posture." As Business Insider previously reported, this is the kind of language Putin used before he launched his full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Persons: Ingrida Šimonytė, —, Šimonytė, Russia hadn't, It's, Vladimir Putin, Putin Organizations: NATO, Service, Ukraine, EU, Finland, Business, Lithuania, for Locations: Russia, Europe, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Finland, Ukraine, Kaliningrad, Soviet Union, Russia's, Baltic

☆ Only Iceland, Finland, and 5 other countries had clean enough air to meet a global safety standard: data
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-19 | by ( Mikhaila Friel | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The 2023 World Air Quality Report showed that only a few countries have acceptable air quality. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . AdvertisementHardly any countries have clean enough air to hit a global safety benchmark, according to new research. The only seven countries deemed acceptable were Estonia, Finland, Grenada, Iceland, Mauritius, Australia, and New Zealand. Advertisement"The science is pretty clear about the impacts of air pollution and yet we are so accustomed to having a background level of pollution that's too high to be healthy.

Persons: —, IQAir, Marco Bottigelli, Hammes, David Dee Delgado Organizations: Service, World Health Organization, Guardian, Chrysler, Getty, Las Locations: Bangladesh, Pakistan, India, Canada, North America, Swiss, Estonia, Finland, Grenada, Iceland, Mauritius, Australia, New Zealand, Puerto Rico, French Polynesia, Southern Iceland, Northern America, West, New York City, Helinski, Tallinn, Hamilton, Bermuda, Reykjavik, Canberra, Wellington, San Juan ( Puerto Rico, Columbus , Ohio, Las Vegas

☆ World’s worst polluted cities are in Asia - India’s Begusarai topping IQAir report
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-18 | by ( Helen Regan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

“We see that in every part of our lives that air pollution has an impact,” said IQAir Global CEO Frank Hammes. “And it typically, in some of the most polluted countries, is likely shaving off anywhere between three to six years of people’s lives. Central and South Asia were the worst performing regions globally, home to all four of the most polluted countries last year: Bangladesh, Pakistan, India and Tajikistan. South Asia is of particular concern, with 29 of the 30 most polluted cities in India, Pakistan or Bangladesh. One bright spot is increasing pressure and civic engagement from communities, NGOs, companies, and scientists to monitor air quality.

Persons: ”, Frank Hammes, Hammes, “ What’s, IQAir, Chiang Mai, that’s, ” Hammes Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Health, IQAir, WHO, Dhaka, CNN, America, Reuters Locations: Hong Kong, Asia, India, India’s Bihar, Guwahati, Assam, Delhi, Mullanpur, Punjab, South Asia, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Lahore, New Delhi, Finland, Estonia, Puerto Rico, Australia, New Zealand, Bermuda, Grenada, Iceland, Mauritius, French Polynesia, Canada, Alberta, United States, Minneapolis, Detroit, Columbus , Ohio, Portland, Seattle, Los Angeles, China, Beijing, Hotan, Southeast Asia, Philippines, Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, Bangkok, Africa, South America, Burkina Faso, Rwanda, Chad

☆ NATO's newest member says it's ready to fortify a strategic island in the middle of the Baltic Sea close to Russia
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-12 | by ( Mia Jankowicz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Sweden is considering reinforcing Gotland, a strategic island in the Baltic Sea, after joining NATO. AdvertisementSweden is open to re-fortifying a crucial island in the Baltic Sea now that it's joined NATO, its prime minister said. "That goes in terms of presence on Gotland, but also in terms of surveillance, in terms of submarine capabilities." Gotland marked with an arrow in the Baltic Sea. Gotland is considered to hold a key strategic position in the Baltic Sea, and is often referred to as an "unsinkable aircraft carrier."

Persons: —, it's, Ulf Kristersson, Kristersson, Tom Porter, Anna Wieslander, Eric Adamson, Carl, Oskar Bohlin Organizations: NATO, Service, Financial, Google, Atlantic, FT, Atlantic Council, BBC Locations: Sweden, Gotland, Baltic, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Finland, Poland, Swedish, Russian, Kaliningrad, Crimea, Ukraine, Russia

☆ How ‘The Zone of Interest’ conveyed the horrors of the Holocaust without ever showing violence
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-05 | by ( Harmeet Kaur | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —“The Zone of Interest,” Jonathan Glazer’s Oscar-nominated historical drama, is technically a film about the Holocaust. “I knew right from the off that I didn’t want to reenact these atrocities using actors and extras,” director Glazer told CNN’s Christiane Amanpour in a February interview. “In other words, it’s out of sight but never out of mind,” Glazer told Amanpour. “No matter how good an actor is, faking the pain of a severe injury, of fatality, is a very hard thing,” Burn told IndieWire. At its core, Glazer says, “The Zone of Interest” is about what we choose to pay attention to — and what we’re able to ignore.

Persons: CNN —, Jonathan Glazer’s Oscar, Rudolf Höss, Glazer, CNN’s Christiane Amanpour, “, Höss, Hedwig, — they’ve, ” Glazer, Amanpour, Oscar, Johnnie Burn, ”, Sarah Shachat, Burn, IndieWire, ” Burn, James Wilson, ” Wilson, “ It’s, ’ ” Organizations: CNN, Auschwitz, Best, London Locations: The, Estonia, Gaza, Yemen, “, Mariupol, Israel

☆ Eurozone Inflation, at 2.6%, Continues to Ease
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-01 | by ( Patricia Cohen | More About Patricia Cohen | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The bank also keeps a close eye on core inflation, which strips out volatile food and energy prices. That annual figure dropped to 3.1 from 3.3 percent, but it is still significantly above the headline number. In Spain, the annual rate dropped to 2.9 percent from 3.5 percent in January. Italy and Latvia had the lowest inflation rates, below 1 percent. Bottom Line: It’s all about energy prices.

Persons: ” Carsten Brzeski Organizations: ING Locations: Central, Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Latvia, Austria, Croatia, Estonia

☆ Estonia hopes for a turning point in Ukraine in the next 4 to 6 weeks
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-26 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailEstonia hopes for a turning point in Ukraine in the next 4 to 6 weeksCNBC's Silvia Amaro reports on the latest round of sanctions on Russia for its war in Ukraine. Kusti Salm, permanent secretary of the Estonian Ministry of Defense, says "we are approaching the darkest hours" in Russia's war in Ukraine.

Persons: CNBC's Silvia Amaro, Kusti Organizations: Estonia, Estonian Ministry of Defense Locations: Ukraine, Russia, Kusti Salm

☆ Here's why an influential US wargame was so wrong about Ukraine's chances against Russian invaders
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-24 | by ( Michael Peck | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Or at least that was the expectation conveyed by pre-war US wargames that simulated a Russian invasion of Eastern Europe. The think tank convened an internal workshop to assess why its wargames had so overestimated Russian military prowess. Most of them examined a Russian invasion of the Baltic States (one also covered a Ukraine invasion), and how NATO might respond. In those games, Russian forces were able to quickly overrun Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania before NATO could stop them. A destroyed Russian tank is seen as Ukrainian serviceman rides a tractor and tows a Russian military vehicle near the village of Dolyna in Ukraine's Kharkiv region in September 2023.

Persons: —, Putin basks, Gian Gentile, Gleb Garanich, Ukraine's, Gentile, RAND's, Michael Peck Organizations: NATO, RAND, Service, RAND Corp, Baltic States, Russian, US, REUTERS, Baltic, US Army, Defense, Foreign Policy, Twitter, LinkedIn Locations: Russia, Baltic, Kyiv, Russian, Moscow, Ukraine, Eastern Europe, Riga, Tallinn, Baltic States, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Baltics, Dolyna, Ukraine's Kharkiv, Forbes

☆ It may look like Trump scared NATO back into readiness — but it's probably all down to Putin
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-23 | by ( Mia Jankowicz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

NATO states' increased defense spending in recent years has little to do with Trump, experts told BI. NATO spending has indeed accelerated since Trump entered politics. It ain't what you do, it's the way that you do itTrump's demands of NATO allies also weren't a departure from existing US policy. Threatening partners is "bananas"Trump's transactional take on NATO collective defense is ultimately reasonable, Bury said — but encouraging other countries to attack NATO allies is "bananas." AdvertisementIf US allies are spending more money on NATO defense, it's not because Trump is goading them, but because they're concerned about increasing global instability.

Persons: Trump, it's, —, Kaja Kallas, Mark Rutte, Edward Hunter Christie, Hunter Christie, William Alberque, Russia hadn't, hadn't, Alberque, Patrick Bury, Barack Obama, didn't, Joe Biden, Bury, Vladimir Putin Organizations: NATO, Trump, Service, Estonia's, Dutch, Finnish Institute of International Affairs, International Institute for Strategic Studies, UK's University of Bath Locations: Russia, ”, NATO, Crimea, Trump, South Korea, Japan, United States, Ukraine

☆ Renting a Car Abroad: Don’t Get Taken for a Ride
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-21 | by ( Eric A. Taub | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

“Throw the keys through the kiosk’s open window. We’ll get the car when we open later”: Those slightly unorthodox drop-off instructions I once received from a Hertz manager in Croatia illustrate some of the differences U.S. travelers might encounter when renting a car abroad. It pays to familiarize yourself with the local policies and protocols ahead of time. Here’s what you need to know before you accept the keys. You must apply for one in the country that issued your regular driver’s license.

Persons: We’ll, It’s Organizations: AAA, State Department Locations: Croatia, U.S, Australia, Austria, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Italy, Japan, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, Slovakia, Spain, Thailand, United States

White House national security communications adviser John Kirby said Tuesday that the U.S. plans to announce a "major sanctions package" on Friday, seeking to hold Russia responsible for the death of imprisoned opposition leader Alexei Navalny. Estonia Prime Minister Kaja Kallas on Tuesday said the country, which borders Russia, successfully thwarted a "hybrid operation" by Russia's security services on its territory. Russia's Federal Security Service has reportedly detained a woman with dual Russian-U.S. citizenship on suspicion of treason, Russian media reported Tuesday. The woman, believed to be a 33 year-old resident of Los Angeles, was arrested in the Urals mountain city of Yekaterinburg. She was reportedly arrested on suspicion of treason for raising funds for Ukraine's armed forces.

Persons: John Kirby, Alexei Navalny, Kaja Kallas Organizations: White, Russia, Internal Security Service, ISS, Federal Security Service Locations: U.S, Estonia, Russia, Los Angeles, Yekaterinburg

☆ Estonia thwarts ‘shadow war’ attack, Prime Minister Kaja Kallas tells CNN
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-20 | by ( Jim Sciutto | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Estonia has thwarted a Russian-directed influence operation on its territory, Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas has told CNN. The Estonian Internal Security Service arrested 10 individuals, including both Russian and Estonian nationals. “There’s a shadow war going on against our societies,” Prime Minister Kallas told CNN. “The aim of Russia’s influence operations is to influence our democratic decision making. The Kremlin is also directly involved in shaping Russian influence operations in neighboring countries, according to Presidential Administration documents leaked last year.

Persons: Kaja Kallas, Kallas, ” Kallas Organizations: CNN, Estonian, Estonian Internal Security Service, ”, Intelligence, SVR, Administration, Moldovan, NATO, European Union Locations: Estonia, Russian, Russia, –, NATO, Europe, Baltic States, Moldova

The GOP has been softening its stance on Russia ever since Trump won the 2016 election following Russian hacking of his Democratic opponents. Now the GOP's ambivalence on Russia has stalled additional aid to Ukraine at a pivotal time in the war. Things are changing just not fast enough.”Those who oppose additional Ukraine aid bristle at charges that they are doing Putin's handiwork. Even before Trump, Republican voters were signaling discontent with overseas conflicts, said Douglas Kriner, a political scientist at Cornell University. Skeptics of Ukraine aid argue the war has already decimated the Russian military and that Putin won't be able to target other European countries.

Persons: Republican Sen, Ron Johnson of, Vladimir Putin, “, Johnson, “ Vladimir Putin, Donald Trump, Putin, Mike Johnson, ”, “ Putin, ” Republican Sen, Thom Tillis, Mitch McConnell of, Alexei Navalny, Joe Biden, Tillis, ” Johnson, Missouri Sen, Eric Schmitt, ” Alabama Sen, Tommy Tuberville, Tucker Carlson’s, Matt Gaetz, Trump, Douglas Kriner, ” Kriner, ” Trump, didn’t, Olga Kamenchuk, ” Kamenchuk, That’s, “ He's, he's, ” Henry Hale, Russell Vought, Sergey Radchenko, Joey Cappelletti, Mary Clare Jalonick, Lisa Mascaro Organizations: Republican, GOP, Trump, Democratic, Republicans, NATO, ” Republican, Republican Party, ”, Cornell University, Northwestern University, Ukraine, Pew Research, George Washington University, Management, Center, Johns Hopkins ’ School, International Studies, Associated Press Locations: Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, Ukraine, Russian, Russia, Europe, U.S, North Carolina, Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, America, Missouri, ” Alabama, Waterford Township , Michigan, ” Russia, “, Moscow, Soviet Union, Putin's U.S, Israel, Taiwan, Western Europe, Soviet, Lithuania, Estonia, Washington

☆ 'It is urgent': European leaders appeal for greater support for Ukraine as Russia makes major gain
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-18 | by ( Karen Gilchrist | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Mette Frederiksen, Denmark's prime minister, speaks on day two of the Munich Security Conference in Munich, Germany, on Saturday, Feb. 17, 2024. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen criticized a waning sense of urgency among delegates at the Munich Security Conference on Saturday as Moscow's full-scale offensive nearly enters its third year. "The sense of urgency is simply not clear enough in our discussions," Frederiksen told a lunchtime session. Denmark has now donated its entire artillery to Ukraine, Frederiksen said, urging other countries to do the same as the war marks its second anniversary on Feb. 24. The policymakers were speaking at the 7th Munich Ukrainian Lunch, hosted on the sidelines of the MSC by the Yalta European Strategy (YES) forum and Ukrainian non-profit the Victor Pinchuk Foundation.

Persons: Mette Frederiksen, Denmark's, Frederiksen, Putin, Radosław Sikorski, Victor Pinchuk, Tobias Billström, Bakhmut, Nikolay Denkov, Denkov, Genya Savilov, Hillary Clinton, —, Niall Ferguson, Clinton, Petr Pavel, Kaja Kallas, Alexander De Croo, Bulgaria Nikolay Denkov Organizations: Munich, Bloomberg, Getty, Kyiv, MSC, Yalta European Strategy, Victor, Victor Pinchuk Foundation, Sweden's, Moscow, 47th Mechanized Brigade, Bradley, Afp, Former, U.S, CNBC Locations: Munich, Germany, MUNICH, Ukraine, Danish, Denmark, Poland, Ukrainian, Avdiivka, Moscow, Russia, Europe, U.S, Donetsk, Western, Czech Republic, Republic of Estonia, Belgium, Bulgaria

TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — World leaders and Russian opposition activists wasted no time Friday in blaming the reported death of imprisoned opposition leader Alexei Navalny on President Vladimir Putin and his government. Navalny was “brutally murdered by the Kremlin,” said Latvian President Edgars Rinkēvičs in a post on X, formerly Twitter. Other Russian opposition activists echoed him. “If it is confirmed, the death of Alexei is a murder. Organized by Putin,” opposition politician Dmitry Gudkov said on social media.

Persons: Alexei Navalny, Vladimir Putin, Putin, ”, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, “ Putin, —, ” Zelenskyy, Olaf Scholz, ” Scholz, Navalny, “, Edgars Rinkēvičs, Ivan Zhdanov, hasn’t, Alexei, Mikhail Khodorkovsky, Dmitry Gudkov, Garry Kasparov, ” Kasparov, Pyotr Verzilov, “ Navalny, Verzilov, Ursula von der Leyen, Jens Stoltenberg, ” Stoltenberg, Jake Sullivan Organizations: Kremlin, EU, NATO, National, NPR Locations: TALLINN, Estonia, Russian, Berlin, Russia, Navalny, Germany

☆ I grew up in the US, while my wife grew up in the UK. She had a better education and now has a better understanding of the world.
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-16 | by ( Katy Fleming | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

My wife grew up in the UK and got a better education, becoming a more-rounded adult. I recently married my wife, Kaajal, who was born and raised in London. If my wife and I have children, we'll undoubtedly move to the UK for superior academics to better prepare them for a career. AdvertisementSimilarly to religion, the British school system provides a collective overview of world history and geography starting at a young age. In my personal experience, the UK education system is significantly better than the US education system in preparing students for their careers, instilling well-rounded cultural experiences, and educating on the world map.

Persons: —, Kaajal, fiancée, it's, we'll Organizations: Service, British Locations: London, Pittsburgh, Africa, Mozambique, South Africa, England, , Arkansas, Estonia

Greece has become the first majority-Orthodox Christian nation to legalize same-sex marriage under civil law. Public opinion in majority Orthodox countries has mostly been opposed, too. Civil unions may become more common among Orthodox countries gravitating toward the European Union. Greek Orthodox showed relative tolerance, with half of Orthodox saying homosexuality should be accepted and a quarter favoring same-sex marriage. As head of the Russian Orthodox Church, he oversees the world's largest Orthodox flock.

Persons: ”, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, “, George Demacopoulos, ” Demacopoulos, —, Vladimir Putin, “ perversions, Putin, Kirill, Moscow, Tiny Montenegro, Aleksandar Vucic, ″, ___ Smith, Yuras, Stephen McGrath, Illia Novikov, Veselin Toshkov Organizations: European Union, Pew Research Center, Orthodox Christian Studies Center, Fordham University, Ukrainian, of, of Human, Russian Orthodox Church, Kremlin, Russia’s, Levada, MONTENEGRO Serbia, Balkan, Serbian Orthodox Church, of Human Rights, Orthodox, Bulgarian Orthodox Church, Associated Press, Gec, Lilly Endowment Inc, AP Locations: Greece, Montenegro, Cyprus, Russia, Eastern Europe, Washington, New York, European, UKRAINE, Ukraine, RUSSIA, Russian, BELARUS, Belarus, SERBIA, MONTENEGRO, Serbia, ROMANIA, MOLDOVA Romania, Romania, Bucharest, Moldova, BULGARIA, Bulgaria, Pittsburgh, Tallin, Estonia, Belgrade, Kyiv, Sofia

☆ NATO: Higher defense spending is no magic bullet after Trump’s attack
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-15 | by ( Luke Mcgee | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

It’s first worth noting which countries have most dramatically increased their defense spending since the invasion of Ukraine. Yves Herman/ReutersTrump’s well-documented comments about NATO and European defense spending woke them up from that slumber. The example many point to is a deal struck earlier this year between multiple European countries to buy 1,000 Patriot missiles. “Pensions for soldiers are useful, sure, but they are not going to shoot a Russian,” a European security official told CNN. But it will be worth it, if countries don’t get bored and work together.

Persons: Donald Trump, ”, don’t, Jens Stoltenberg, It’s, Yves Herman, Reuters Trump’s, Theresa May, Trump, EMMANUEL DUNAND, Malcolm Chalmers, Russia – Organizations: CNN, NATO, Reuters, Patriot, Inter, Officials, New Nato Force Model, Getty, Royal United Services Institute, Pensions, “, Diplomats Locations: Russia, NATO, Europe, Ukraine, Poland, Estonia, Lithuania, Finland, Romania, Hungary, Latvia, Slovakia, America, Germany, AFP, European, France, China

☆ 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

☆ Swedish Prosecutors Turn Down Request to Reopen 'Estonia' Ferry Disaster Case
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-15 | by ( Feb. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - Swedish prosecutors said on Thursday they had turned down a request to reopen investigations into the sinking of the "Estonia" ferry in 1994 with the loss of 852 lives, as there was no new evidence to suggest a collision, an explosion or a crime. The roll-on, roll-off ferry sank in international waters in the Baltic Sea during stormy weather on its way to Stockholm from Estonia's capital, Tallinn. Sweden's Prosecution Authority received a request in 2020 to resume investigations after footage on a television documentary showed holes in the ship's hull. Photos You Should See View All 22 Images"The case is closed," she added in a statement. The statement did not say who had made the request to resume investigations.

Persons: Karolina Wieslander, Anna Ringstrom, Andrew Heavens Organizations: Sweden's, Authority Locations: STOCKHOLM, Estonia, Baltic, Stockholm, Estonia's, Tallinn, Estonian

☆ Russia could be at war with NATO "within the next decade," intelligence report says
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-14 | by ( Kwan Wei Kevin Tan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Russia may be preparing for a "confrontation with the West," says Estonia's intelligence service. "Russia has chosen a path which is a long-term confrontation," said Estonia's intelligence chief. AdvertisementNATO may find itself at war with Russia in the next 10 years, says Estonia's foreign intelligence service. The intelligence agency said in a report on Tuesday that Russia may be preparing for a "confrontation with the West." "Russia has chosen a path which is a long-term confrontation," Rosin said during the report's launch, per Reuters.

Persons: —, Rosin, Donald Trump, Trump, he'd, didn't, Trump's, Ben Hodges, Hodges Organizations: NATO, Service, Reuters, US Army, British, Times, Business Insider Locations: Russia, Estonia, Estonian, Ukraine, Russian, South Carolina, US Army Europe

CNN —Russian authorities on Tuesday launched criminal proceedings against Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas, charges the leader of the Baltic state alleged were politically motivated. The Kremlin accused Kallas, Estonian Secretary of State Taimar Peterkop and Lithuanian Culture Minister Simonas Kairys of destroying or damaging monuments to Soviet monuments in memory of Soviet soldiers, Russia’s state-run Tass news reported. Shortly after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine nearly two years ago, Kallas announced that Estonia would remove all of the country’s Soviet monuments from public spaces. A report by the Estonian Foreign Intelligence Service said Russia may consider doubling the number of troops stationed on its border with the Baltic countries and increasing those on its frontier with Finland, which joined NATO last year. Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna also on Tuesday delivered his annual foreign policy speech, which included fiery anti-Russian remarks and a full-throated backing for Ukraine.

Persons: Kaja Kallas, Kallas, Peterkop, Simonas, Dmitry Peskov, ” Kallas, ”, Vladimir Putin, Margus Tsahkna, Joshua Berlinger Organizations: CNN, Estonian, Kremlin, State, Lithuanian Culture, Russia, Soviet Union, European Union, NATO, Estonian Foreign Intelligence Service, Ukraine Locations: Baltic, Estonian, Ukraine, Estonia, Russia, Siberia, Soviet, Finland, “

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