“These exercises are the joint effort of many parties and show just how willing the people of Estonia are to defend themselves,” the head of government remarked. “I am grateful to every man and woman fighting for our country, including our allies who have come together to take part in the exercises alongside our own forces. Every single contribution is invaluable. I have seen today just how well Estonia is defended thanks to the professionalism and dedication of our Defence Forces and Defence League. I would also like to thank the families and employers of those participating in the exercises for being so supportive and understanding. Thanks to you, our reserve forces and members of the Defence League secured the time off they needed to take part in this training to protect our freedom.”
Prime Minister Kallas observed the combat shooting at the central training area of the Defence Forces which traditionally brings ‘Siil’ to a close. The exercises, which have been ongoing for the past three weeks, are designed to test the battle-readiness of the Defence Forces and their ability to respond to threat scenarios.
An important aspect of the training is cooperation with allies. “Practising together is also vital in ensuring that we are prepared for a reinforced allied presence on our soil,” Prime Minister Kallas said.
Long-term decisions to boost NATO’s defence and deterrence capabilities are expected to be made at the alliance’s summit in Madrid on 29 & 30 June.
Last weekend, on 21 May, Prime Minister Kallas visited the Defence League unit in Tallinn and attended a training session on reporting on events related to ‘Siil’. Almost 3000 people have expressed their wish to join the Defence League since Russia invaded Ukraine. The government has allocated additional funding to the Defence League for the development and training of its territorial defence units.
The ‘Siil’ military exercise is being held for the fourth time and is due to conclude on 3 June. It involves almost 15,300 participants: active and reserve members of the Defence Forces, conscripts, members of the Defence League and allied soldiers.
