The transfer of Russian troops to the border areas of Ukraine means that there may also be a need to increase defense readiness in Estonia - if so, Estonia is ready for that, Minister of Defense Kalle Laanet (Reform) said on Friday. The international community must also put pressure on Russia to avoid a wider conflict in Ukraine, experts said.
Compared to 2014 and the start of the conflict in Eastern Ukraine, Russia has moved more than 25,000 soldiers and a lot of military equipment to the border areas of Ukraine, ETV s evening news program Aktuaalne kaamera (AK) reported on Friday.
In recent weeks clashes between Ukrainian forces and Russian-backed Donbass separatists have intensified and a Ukrainian soldier was killed on Thursday when Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visited the region. Zelensky has reaffirmed his desire to move towards joining NATO.