How Russia's Baltic neighbors are trying to strengthen their defence capabilities | DW News

Russia's Finding Ways to Attack NATO – Using Hybrid Tactics - YouTube - UA News

U.S. Army, NATO. Allied Forces Prepare for Defence in Europe. - YouTube - 17 May 2024

Estonian Foreign Intelligence Service:Russia Prepares for Prolonged Conflict with Ukraine and Confrontation with the West

Kaupo Rosin is Director General,Estonian Foreign Intelligence Service.The most incisive chapter of the report "International Security and Estonia 2024" by the EFIS is entitled "Adapting Russia's Armed Forces For Prolonged Conflict":The objectives of Russia's military reform reflect the leadership's vision of the resources required for the conflict with Ukraine and prolonged confrontation with the West.Russia's goal is to achieve military dominance in the Baltic Sea Region.For Estonia,Russia's military reform entails a significant increase in Russia's forces near the Estonian border in coming years.Increasing the personnel and adding new units to the armed forces is the primary purpose of Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu's military reform.Russia aims to increase its military personnel from 1.15 million to 1.5 million Soldiers by 2026;restructure 12 land and naval brigades into divisions;and create dozens of new divisions in the land,air and naval forces,as well as in the airborne troops.The formation of many of these units has already begun,but the main challenge is their shortfall of contracted service members and officers,which develop the unit formation process.*Although Russia plans to develop all strategic directions,the highest priority is in the Western strategic direction and Ukraine.The Kremlin is preparing for a prolonged conflict with Ukraine,necessitating additional armies and army corps (3rd and 40th Army Corps,18th Army and 25th Army,for which dozens of new manoeuvre,combat support and combat service units are being formed).*The second priority region is the Finnish direction,where Russia's military posture was minimal until Finland's recent accession to NATO.Russia plans to create the 4th Army Corps,likely based in Petrozavordsk,to address this.This formation will probably be built around at least two or three manoeuvre units,with around a dozen fire support and combat support units.*The growth of Russian military capabilities in the Estonian vacinity,in Leningrad and Pskov districts,primarily results from the potential transformation of existing units into divisions.According to one possible scenario,the personnel strength of Russian land forces and airborne troops in the Estonian direction may nearly double from approximately 19,000 forces from before 24 February 2022 (anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine).The extent to which these units attain combat strength depends on Russia's ability to recruit,train,and retain contracted service members.The success and timeline of Russia's military reform will be largely determined by the course of the war in Ukraine.If Russia manages to implement the reform,NATO could face a Soviet-style mass army in the next decade.This army is likely to be technologically inferior to the NATO Allies' defence forces in most areas,except for electronic warfare and long-range strike capabilities.However,its military potential would be significant,owing to its size,fire-power (including artillery power and inexpensive attack drones),combat experience and reserves.Defending against a possible conventional attack from such an army would require Allied defence forces and defence industries to be significantly more prepared,capable,and better stocked with ammunition than they currently are.*In summary,Russia's plan to increase its military forces is ambitious,especially considering the short timelines and Russia's economic and demographic situation.However,it is also a threat to Europe and NATO,contributing to Russia's aggressive posture,military potential,and growing militarisation reinforcing Russia's apparent path of a long-term confrontation with the West.*Russia is attempting to tilt Moldova back into its orbit by influencing the electoral process of 2024-2025.For its part,Moldova has banned major Russian propaganda channels;shut down numerous local Internet portals disseminating Russia's war propaganda;and decisively resisted political parties directly controlled and funded by Russia.Indeed,in the summer of 2023,Moldovan authorities expelled most Russian Embassy diplomats,after identifying some of them as intelligence operatives.*According to the Financial Times news outlet,the NATO Joint Support and Enabling Command in Ulm,South Germany is devising plans for how NATO forces will deploy across Europe and be sustained and reinforced in the event of a war with Russia.In this process,lessons learned from the ongoing Steadfast Defender 24 exercise,which simulates a large-scale conflcit with an adversary from the East,will be utilised.The scenario for the drills is a Russian attack on Alliance territory.*Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsakhna said NATO may only have three-four years before the Kremlin mounts a test for NATO:But we must understand the Russian war machine has started in the full scale,the capabilities for the production and the mentality as well,because Putin is controlling everything now.*For his part,German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius warns the test could come in the next decade,in five-eight years.

NATO Rapid Infiltration Drills in the Baltics as Ukrainian Troops Get Combat Training in Poland

This complex video conveys several live-fire drills by NATO in the Baltic States.There were Rapid Infiltration exercises by NATO Allies demonstrating HiMARS and other capabilities.A Belgian Air Force Airbus A400M transported HiMARS units,showcasing mobility and Rapid Infiltration capabilities,while Ukrainian troops underwent combat training in Poland.

US Army, NATO. Tanks and self-propelled howitzers during combat exercises in Eastern Europe

Poland reinforces border troops, claims airspace incursion by Belarusian helicopters

Mi-8 and Mi-24 Belarusian military helicopters were ascertained to have crossed into Poland at only 50-60 metres/164-196 feet in altitude,below the radar level.Polish residents and tourists submitted videos and photos proving an incursion had occurred and NATO was notified.Lithuania,Latvia and Estonia,as well as NATO,have gone on alert in consequence of the Belarusian incursion and the insertion of Russian Wagner Group mercenaries into the Belarus border with Poland.

Steadying the Eastern Flank:F-35s Posted to Estonia,Romania

On 24 February 2022,six US Air Force F-35A Lightning II Joint Strike Fighters were forward deployed to air bases in the Baltic and Black Sea Regions.The Lockheed Martin warplanes are from the 34th Fighter Squadron out of Spangdahlem Air Base,Germany.They will provide enhanced Air Policing (eAP) capability to this sensitive line so near to Russia.eAP gives NATO a way to adapt to crises and scale up defensive missions as the security situation evolves.Some of the F-35s will be based Amari Air Base,Estonia to integrate with Belgian F-16 Fighting Falcons.The other JSFs will operate out of Fetesti Air Base,Romania to integrate with Romanian F-16s.Said General Jeff Harrigian,chief of NATO Allied Air Command and Commander,U.S. Air Forces Europe and Air Forces Africa: Our forces bring advanced capabilities to confront a full spectrum of threats to our Alliance.Our ability to move aircraft anywhere at a moment's notice assures our Allies and promotes balanced defense across the Alliance.* F-35s,with their unique capabilities for communications,command and control,and lethality,provide the combined joint force leaders flexibility for power projection and assertion of warfighting Air Dominance in the highly contested environments of the Regions.Since Russia illegally annexed Crimea and instigated a separatist movement among Russian speakers in the Donbas Region of Eastern Ukraine in 2014,NATO'S eAP has helped secure regional stability and foster Ally assurance to counter destabilising influences. The F-35's advanced Electronic Warfare capabilities enable pilots to locate and track enemy forces;jam their radars;and disrupt their attacks with unparalleled effect,thus outpacing key adversaries,according to Lockheed Martin.* Lockheed Martin (LMT)