Estonia moves troops and long-range weapons closer to Russian border

Estonia is permanently moving troops closer to its border with Russia and acquiring long-range weapons capable of striking deep inside Russian territory as part of a new “active defense” strategy, the Financial Times reports, citing Estonian military and intelligence officials.

Under the new approach, Estonia’s main combat formation, the First Infantry Brigade, is being relocated from Tapa to Jõhvi, around 50 kilometers from the Russian border. New facilities are being built in Jõhvi to accommodate the troops. Estonia is also constructing a military base in the border city of Narva that could accommodate up to 1,000 personnel during a crisis.

The country has signed contracts for nine US-made HIMARS multiple rocket launchers equipped with M57 ballistic missiles, as well as nine South Korean Chunmoo systems. Both systems have ranges of up to 300 kilometers, putting targets in and around St. Petersburg within potential striking distance.

Estonian military and intelligence officials do not believe Russia is seeking a full-scale war with NATO within the next two years. However, they are concerned about a possible limited Russian operation designed to test NATO’s collective defense commitments.

Estonia incorporated the concept of “active defense” into its national security policy in May. Officials say the strategy is intended to ensure that any potential conflict is confronted from the border rather than after an adversary has gained territory.