Estonian Defense Forces (Eesti Kaitsevägi) is the name of the joint armed forces of the Republic of Estonia. They consist of ground forces, the Navy, the Air Force, and the Kaitseliite militarized organization. According to official statistics, the Estonian army has 6,400 troops in the regular forces and 15,800 in the Defense League. The reserve consists of about 271,000 people.
Functions
The national defense policy is aimed at ensuring the preservation of the independence and sovereignty of the state, the integrity of its territorial possessions and constitutional order. The main goals of the Estonian army remain to develop and maintain at the proper level the ability to protect the vital interests of the country, as well as to establish interaction and interoperability with the armed forces of the NATO and European Union member states to participate in the entire range of missions of these military alliances.
What can be proud of the Estonian army
The creation of national militarized structures began during the 1st World War. Despite the relatively small population, about 100,000 Estonians fought on the Eastern Front, of which about 2,000 received the rank of officer. 47 native Estonians awarded the Order of St. George. Among the officers were:
- 28 lieutenant colonels;
- 12 colonels;
- 17 Estonians commanded battalions, 7 - regiments;
- 3 senior officers served as chiefs of division headquarters.
The formation of the national army
In the spring of 1917, foreseeing fundamental changes in the Russian Empire, Estonian politicians initiated the creation of 2 regiments in the Russian army, which would be deployed in the vicinity of Tallinn and Narva. The backbone of these paramilitary formations was to be hardened on the fronts of the First World Natives of Estonia. The commander of the Petrograd Military District General Lavr Kornilov approved the composition of the commission. A telegram was sent from the General Staff to the troops to redirect Estonian soldiers in reserve to the Tallinn fortress.
The creation of national regiments was handled by the Military Bureau. In May, the garrison numbered 4,000 troops. However, soon the Baltic Fleet command canceled this initiative, suspecting in these actions an attempt to separate Estonia from the Russian Empire.
After the bourgeois and subsequent socialist revolution of 1917, the situation changed. The interim government, counting on the loyalty of the Estonians, allowed the formation of the 1st 600 division of 5,600 fighters, the commander of which was Lt. Col. Johan Laidoner. Thus, this formation can be considered the ancestor of the Estonian army.
Confrontation
Germany after the actual collapse of Russian troops occupied Estonia. However, on November 11, 1918, a revolution took place in Germany itself, German troops left the territory, transferring control of the national administration.
The Bolsheviks decided to take advantage of the unexpected situation and sent the 7th Army to “liberate the Baltic states from the bourgeoisie”. Quite quickly, a significant part of Estonia fell under the control of the Soviets. The national government tried to create a capable army, however, workers and peasants tired of wars and revolutions deserted en masse. However, by February 1919, 23,000 troops were already in the army, the armament of the Estonian army consisted of a division of armored trains, 26 guns, 147 machine guns.
Independence
When the front line approached Tallinn for 34 kilometers, an English squadron arrived at the port, delivering military equipment and supporting their guns with fire. Also, a number of units of the White Army went here. The May 1919 offensive under the command of Commander-in-Chief Johan Laidoner, supported by the Royal Navy, as well as Finnish, Swedish and Danish volunteers, led to the liberation of the territory.
By the end of 1919, the Estonian army numbered 90,000: 3 infantry regiments, reinforced with cavalry and artillery, as well as volunteer detachments, separate battalions and regiments. In service were 5 armored cars, 11 armored trains, 8 aircraft, 8 military vessels (destroyers, gunboats, mine minesweepers) and several tanks.
Estonians put up worthy resistance, forcing the Bolsheviks to recognize the independence of this proud people. On February 2, 1920, the RSFSR and the Republic of Estonia signed the Tartu Peace Treaty.
WWII
In 1940, according to the secret part of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, the Baltic Republic was annexed by the Red Army with almost no resistance. The government decided to avoid meaningless bloodshed.
After the Nazis arrived, many Estonians, offended by Soviet power, joined the auxiliary units of the German Wehrmacht. Eventually, the formation of the 20th division of the Waffen SS grenadiers (1st Estonian) began from volunteers and conscripts.
Estonians also fought on the side of the USSR against the Nazis. They formed the backbone of the 22nd Estonian Rifle Corps. The fighters demonstrated special heroism in battles for the city of Bottom of the Pskov Region. However, due to frequent cases of desertion, the unit was disbanded. In 1942, the 8th Estonian Rifle Corps was formed.
New time
After regaining independence, caused by the collapse of the USSR, the question arose again about the formation of national defense. The Estonian Army was reinstated on September 3, 1991 by the Supreme Council of the Republic of Estonia. Today, the country's armed forces have 30 units and several army formations.
Since 2011, the Commander of the Estonian Defense Forces has been appointed and is responsible to the Estonian Government through the Ministry of Defense, and not to the Riigikogu National Assembly, as previously practiced. This was caused by constitutional amendments proposed by Estonian President Toomas Hendrik Ilves.
Managment structure
Command and leadership:
- Defense Department.
- Military headquarters.
- Commander in Chief.
Types of troops:
- Ground troops.
- Navy.
- Air force.
- League of Defense "Kaiteselite".
Today, a large-scale rearmament and reinforcement program for the Estonian army is ongoing. A photo of the new military equipment indicates that the main focus of the leadership is on mobile units.
In peacetime, the main tasks of the Ministry of Defense are to control borders and airspace, maintain combat readiness, train draftees and create reserve units, participate in international missions of NATO and the UN, and assist civilian authorities in case of emergency.
In crisis situations, the main tasks of management are:
- increasing the levels of readiness of units as necessary;
- preparation for the transition to a military structure and the beginning of mobilization;
- integration of units from other law enforcement agencies;
- preparation for accepting help from friendly forces.
In wartime, the main tasks are to protect the territorial integrity of the state, facilitate the arrival and deployment of forces from other countries and cooperate with them, maintain control of the national airspace and facilitate the air defense of strategic targets in cooperation with NATO forces.
The size and armament of the Estonian army
The defense forces consist of regular military units totaling 6,500 officers and soldiers, as well as a voluntary defense league corps of about 12,600 soldiers. In the future, it is planned to increase the size of the operational military group to 30,000 people. Defense forces are the main reserve, so "all physically and mentally healthy male citizens" must undergo compulsory military service for a period of 8 or 11 months. The defense forces are located in four defense areas with headquarters in Tallinn, Tapa, Lunya and Pärnu.
Ground forces are mainly equipped with NATO-style weapons. The basis is small arms, mobile vehicles, anti-tank and anti-aircraft portable systems.
The Navy includes patrol boats, minesweepers, frigates, and coast guard forces. Most of the naval forces are located at the Myinisadam naval base. It is planned to purchase modern high-speed patrol boats.
The Estonian Air Force was rebuilt on April 13, 1994. From 1993 to 1995, two transport aircraft of the L-410UVP type, three Mi-2 helicopters and four Mi-8 helicopters were delivered to Estonia. The service branch received old Soviet radars and equipment. Most units are located at the Eimari military airfield, where reconstruction was completed in 2012. In 2014, Estonia showed interest in acquiring Saab JAS-39 Gripen fighters from Sweden, which are necessary to create an aviation wing that does not currently exist.