The Okas 24-2 exercise is a key part of Estonia's defense strategy, as it tests the rapid mobilization and combat readiness of the country's reservists.

The minister said: "This additional training assembly is essential for practicing the entire chain of national defense operations."

"My greatest respect goes to all those reservists who have set aside their daily tasks to quickly achieve combat readiness alongside their comrades. Their commitment strengthens our defense capability and ensures we remain ready to face any threat," he went on via a press release.

The government called up 250 reservists for this exercise, which includes personnel from the EDF 1st Infantry Brigade's Engineer Battalion (Pioneeripataljon) and the division's Short-Range Air Defense Battery (Lühimaa õhutõrjepatarei ).

These units are vectored on testing out the effectiveness of Estonia's national defense command chain, from government decision-making to the swift mobilization of reservists.

This represents a critical test of Estonia's ability to respond to emerging threats.
The Okas assembly comes as part of the broader Exercise Pikne, a multinational effort designed to improve NATO's rapid reinforcement and interoperability.
Over 2,000 soldiers, including Estonian and allied forces, are participating in the exercise, which runs from December 2 to 15.

For the first week, the focus will be on deployment and combat activities, with allied live-fire exercises planned for the second week at the Sirgala training area in Ida-Viru County.

Units from NATO's multinational battlegroup in Estonia, including the French 3rd Marine Infantry Parachute Regiment, have integrated into the exercise too, highlighting NATO's collective defense capabilities.

Minister Pevkur emphasized the importance of NATO in Estonia's defense strategy, stating: "Estonia's national defense rests on three pillars: the will of the people, our independent defense capability, and NATO collective defense. '
"This assembly clearly demonstrates that collective defense works," he continued.

The Okas training exercise, while defensive in nature, underscores Estonia's preparedness to respond to any threat.

With exercises like this, it is argued, Estonia ensures that its defense forces are ready, resilient, and fully integrated with NATO to safeguard the nation's security.

EDF reservist lists consist of those who have completed conscript training but are no longer regular soldiers. They are distinct from volunteer Defense League (Kaitseliit) personnel, though the changed security situation has led to a certain amount of convergence between the two organizations.

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