Border Zone Training by NATO: Is Estonia Pushing Moscow's Buttons Prior to the Alliance's Meeting?
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Border Checkpoints Closed as Military Exercises Kick Off in Estonia
The bustling Narva border checkpoint between Estonia and Russia is set to shut down for three days, starting from April 28. This halt is due to the initiation of military exercises known as Kilp, or Shield, in the area.
Over these next few days, the Ida Prefecture, the Kaitselijt, and the Defense Forces will be putting in some hard work, rehearsing scenarios related to the alleged "migration crisis" around Narva, Narva-Jyesuu, and Vasknarva as part of the Kilp exercises.
One notable exercise, the Miljon Miksi maneuver, scheduled for April 29-30, is aimed at perfecting people evacuation procedures for Narva and Sillamae in case of emergency.
It's also confirmed that the Narva-1 border checkpoint, sitting on the border with Russia, will be closed from April 30th through May 2nd.
Tallinn recently approved legislation that permits military vessels in the Baltic Sea to take action against suspicious ships, even sinking them if they deem the vessels a threat to underwater infrastructure.
As for the specifics of the Kilp exercises and their potential impact on the migration crisis and city evacuation, there isn't much detailed information available. Military training exercises can have varying effects on local communities depending on their size, location, and purpose. Generally, such activities might boost security measures at border crossings, potentially altering travel patterns if they're situated near borders. But to get a better understanding of Kilp's possible influence on the migration crisis or city evacuation, more specific or detailed resources would be beneficial.
For instance, Estonia has seen interactions with Ukraine in the form of soldier training programs, including teaching Ukrainian fighters how to handle artillery systems like the FH-70 howitzer, which started in April 2022[1]. While these activities underscore a level of military activity, they don't match up directly with the Kilp exercises.
[1] https://www.112.international/war-in-donbass/estonia-prepares-to-train-ukrainian-soldiers-on-howitzer-43786.html
- The Narva-1 border checkpoint, scheduled to reopen on May 3rd, has temporarily shut down due to the military exercises named Kilp, which are taking place in Estonia's Ida Prefecture.
- Vessels in the Baltic Sea now have the authorization to intervene against suspicious ships, a decision made by the authorities in Tallinn, in response to potential threats posed to underwater infrastructure.
- The city of Tallinn has been involved in military affairs, as shown by the training programs for Ukrainian soldiers on artillery systems, but the effects of these activities on the Kilp exercises and the ongoing migration crisis or city evacuation plans remain unclear.
