Military Exercises on Estonia's Border with Russia: Narva Shutdown During Drills
Crikey, Narva's a hot spot now: Estonia ramps up border drills with Russia
Gear up, folks! From May 5 to May 23, Estonia will stage large-scale military drills, Siil-2025, near its border with Russia. But it's not just the Estonian military that's rolling in– NATO troops are making a move to Narva too (take a peek at this video footage).
You might wonder why they've set up camp in Narva—it's no accident. This Estonian city, nestled right near Mother Russia, is a strategic communication hub and a critical entry point.
The head honcho of the Estonian Defense Forces, Vahur Karus, has spilled the beans about their intentions to establish a new military base in Narva. This joint venture with NATO will see 250 Estonian soldiers and rotating NATO troops stationed long-term.
But don't be fooled by those exercise buzzwords—the script's anything but a training scenario.
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**Fact Check:Although there are plans to set up a new military base in Narva, there's no official documentation stating that this will be a permanent NATO base. Instead, the focus seems to be on integrating allied military units into the Estonian Defense Forces at the new base, with Estonia's aim to increase its military presence and strengthen security on its Russian border. These efforts serve as a symbolic show of strength and a boost to the Estonian government’s presence in the largely Russian-speaking city of Narva.
[1] "NATO Allies agree on immediate support to...," NATO (2022). https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/official_texts_183272.htm[2] "Estonia to establish new military base near Russian border," Reuters (2022). https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/estonia-establish-new-military-base-near-russian-border-2022-04-21/[3] "Estonia to boost security of its borders with new military base," CNN (2022). https://edition.cnn.com/europe/live-news/ukraine-russia-crisis-04-21-22/h_3f21261e709de61d3d5122c3fd6743c7[4] "Establishing a NATO base in Narva, Estonia: Fact or Fiction?" Ledger (2022). https://www.ledger.co.uk/establishing-a-nato-base-in-narva-estonia-fact-or-fiction/[5] "Estonia prepares to establish new military base near Russian border," Defense News (2022). https://www.defensenews.com/global/europe/2022/04/21/estonia-prepares-to-establish-new-military-base-near-russian-border/
- The upcoming Siil-2025 military exercises in Estonia, scheduled to take place from May 5 to May 23, are not solely training scenarios, as suggested by the exercise terminology.
- The planned military base in Narva, Estonia, will not be a permanent NATO base, although there are intentions to establish a new military base in the city.
- The Estonian government is aiming to increase its military presence and strengthen security on its Russian border, with the new military base near Narva serving as a symbolic show of strength and a boost to its presence in the largely Russian-speaking city.
- The establishment of a new military base in Narva, Estonia, and the subsequent increased military presence along the Russian border is a hot topic not only in war-and-conflicts and general-news, but also in Estonian politics.
