Volunteer Defense League (Kaitseliit) personnel have been training with artillery pieces as part of the large-scale Spring Storm (Kevadtorm) military exercise, now in its final week.
Does anyone else, besides Russia, stand to gain from defense cuts in Estonia? I hope the coalition will seriously ponder this question and abandon its incomprehensible austerity plan, Henn Põlluaas writes.
The annual Exercise Spring Storm (Kevadtorm) is nearing the end of its second week (of three) and has seen thousands of Estonian Defense Forces (EDF), volunteer Defense League (Kaitseliit) and NATO allied personnel take part in the maneuvers, at the EDF's central polygon training area and at other locations, including in Järva County and on Hiiumaa.
This year s large-scale, three-week military Exercise Spring Storm, while not as reduced in size as 2020 s, has still necessarily seen only minimal numbers of reservists (as against conscripts, regular soldiers and NATO allied personnel) take part, due to coronavirus considerations.
Estonian Defense Forces (EDF) deputy commander, Maj. Gen. Indrek Sirel, said: With this year s exercise, we have restored the normal Spring Storm routine. Last year, the exercise went ahead, but on a far smaller scale.
However, far fewer EDF reservists, a little over 300, are taking part in this year s Spring Storm than in pre-coronavirus times.
The EDF s reserve is made up primarily of former conscripts who have completed their training, and remain on the reserve lists in the ensuing years. Reservists are expected to turn to at intermittent training sessions like Spring Storm, in the normal run of things.
Minister of Defense Kalle Laanet (Reform) got an overview up close this week of how this year's annual large-scale military conscripts exercise is progressing. Highlights of week two of the exercise have included the participation of United States Army Black Hawk and Apache helicopters.