Estonian defense forces summon 300 troops for snap exercise
The Estonian government adopted an order on Thursday to conduct an additional training exercise on the basis of the National Defence Act, which entered into force this year and allows for the Estonian Defence Forces to summon reserve forces in under 24 hours. This is the first time this provision has been implemented.
Summons are being sent to 303 reservists for the exercise codenamed "Quill" ("Okas"), which will run from Dec. 2-5.
According to the Ministry of Defence, the Estonian Defence Forces will be activating the 433rd Infantry Company to be formed by the Võru County District of the Estonian Defence League as well as the Command Company of the 10th Command and Signal Battalion assigned to the reserve following the 2014 Spring Storm exercise.
According to the press release issued by the Headquarters of the Estonian Defence Forces, all reserve forces belonging to the aforementioned units are ordered to report to their designated muster points on Friday, Dec. 2 at 8 p.m. Information regarding the orders will be sent to reservists via text message and email, reported in the media as well as listed on the homepage of the Estonian Defence Forces (link in Estonian).
Members of the Estonian Defence League summoned for the exercise can also call +372 717 9988 and summoned reservists of the Command and Signal Battalion call +372 717 2010 for more information.
Reservists can also check whether they are among those summoned for the snap exercise under the National Defence page (link in Estonian) of the Estonian state online portal.
"Increasing actual defense capabilities means actually rehearsing it," said Minister of Defence Margus Tsahkna (IRL). "The goal of the additional training exercise is to rehearse the chain of command for national defense from the adoption of a decision by the government to the reservists of the rapid response structure to the unit’s achieving of combat readiness."
This weekend, a total of nearly 2,000 members of the Estonian Defence Forces and Estonian Defence League will be participating in various defense exercises across the country. Approximately 900 volunteer troops will be participating in the Estonian Defence League's major fall exercise "Hurricane" ("Orkaan") in the Virtsu-Lihula-Vatla region of Lääne County. In Tallinn, the Estonian Defence League will be teaming up with the Police and Border Guard Board (PPA) for the "Toompea lockdown" ("Toompea lukku") exercise in which 200 troops and 50 law enforcement officers will practice the securing of the capital's Toompea Hill, which is home to the seat of the Estonian government and the Riigikogu, among other institutions of national importance, while an additional 400 troops from the Estonian Defence League will practice defending Tallinn Airport in the league's "North Star" ("Põhjatäht") readiness exercise.
Editor: Editor: Aili Vahtla