Weapons, a sense of security and the will to defend are closely linked, but firearms remain rare in Estonia. As a result, seeing a weapon-like object in public or hearing the sound of a starter pistol often triggers panic and emergency calls to the police.

It hasn't always been this way. There was a time when dozens of Estonian marksmen ranked among the best in the world, setting world records in sport and free rifle shooting, surpassing the Swiss and Finns, who had traditionally excelled in the sport. At the World Shooting Championships in Helsinki, the Estonian team brought home 400 awards out of a possible 1,470, including the iconic Argentinian Cup and Tallinn Zoo's heraldic lynx cub, Illu.

The Defense League and its youth organizations had around 100,000 members. Under the leadership of the Estonian Shooting Union, shooting sports became almost a national pastime, practiced actively throughout the country. It was 1937, and the people's will to defend was high. The sight of weapon-like objects didn't cause panic. The War of Independence was still fresh in people's minds, as was the memory of how close the country came to being lost in January 1919, when, immediately after German occupation ended, Estonia faced attacks by the Red forces. Back then, there was a critical shortage of weapons and the knowledge of how to use them. Initially, human instincts kicked in — people froze or fled — but once weapons and training became available, the will to defend emerged. That will to fight led to victory in the War of Independence.

Now, Europe is once again at war. Our large neighboring country, which views us as an enemy, has initiated the conflict and is trying to intimidate us — cutting our undersea cables or, for example, planting ominous predictions in newspapers through so-called "clairvoyants," who claim that 2025 will be a difficult year and only those who leave will survive.

Such tactics aim to exploit our innate human instincts to respond to danger by fighting, freezing or fleeing. EDF Commander Gen. Andrus Merilo emphasized in a recent interview that while NATO is crucial, we must be able to defend ourselves. The population's will to defend is just as important as the weapons, ammunition and equipment of the armed forces. Freezing or fleeing will not bring about the outcome we desire.

Strong will to defend needed

A strong will to defend is far more critical for the survival of the Estonian state and people, given the presence of a large, aggressive neighbor, than it is for most other European countries. For the majority of European nations, the population's willingness to defend is a secondary issue. Their military scenarios rely on well-equipped professional armed forces to defend the country, without the need for direct involvement from the civilian population. As a result, in much of Europe, there is no real need for people to learn how to handle firearms.

Things are different in Finland. There, fostering a strong will to defend has been seen as essential — particularly in the 106 years since gaining independence from Russia. As a result, many households, especially in rural areas, have firearms and children are taught safe gun handling from an early age. They often begin learning to shoot with air rifles, later progressing to using sport rifles in forest clearings.

In my family, when we spent winters in the countryside, we would practice shooting targets with an air pistol alongside our parents — and my mother usually won. Gaining experience with firearms at a young age made conscription feel natural and there was strong motivation to complete military service. It had been the same for my father and grandfather, whose example played an important role.

Thanks to these traditions, Finns have trust in their military capabilities, which reinforces their will to defend. In Finland, I've never encountered the kind of fear of Russia that would cause people to freeze or flee — or seriously consider leaving their homeland to escape the threat posed by Russia.

The principle of total defense and the link between firearms and will to defend

Due to historical reasons, public attitudes toward firearms in Estonia have only started to take shape again after the country regained independence, following a 50-year hiatus. Over the past decade, news reports of mass shootings — particularly school shootings in the United States — and various terrorist attacks in different countries have increasingly sown fear.

There is a concern that such incidents could also happen in Estonia. As a result, isolated incidents involving firearms receive disproportionate public attention, fostering the perception that guns are inherently dangerous and that there should be fewer of them in circulation.

The Estonian police have taken this public sentiment into account, particularly over the past eight years, by attempting to implement the idea that the fewer firearms citizens possess, the safer the population will feel overall. However, considering developments in Russia, it's clear that reducing the number of firearms does not increase public safety or the will to defend — quite the opposite, in fact.

In Europe, only a few countries have based their national defense on the principle of broad-based or total defense. As the term suggests, this approach involves all members and sectors of society, meaning that a large portion of the population and national resources can be mobilized for defense when necessary. A key part of the total defense concept is ensuring that a significant portion of the population has undergone military service, received proper training, participates in regular refresher exercises and knows how to handle firearms safely and effectively.

Among Russia's neighboring countries, Finland has been the only one to consistently develop total defense for decades, combining it with mandatory military service and comprehensive reserve training. In both Finland and Switzerland — another country with a similar defense model — at least two-thirds of men complete military service and in both countries, the population's will to defend has remained among the highest in Europe.

In Estonia, around one-third of men complete military service. While this is too low, it is still a better rate than in other countries that follow the total defense model, such as Sweden, Norway, Latvia and Lithuania, where even fewer men undergo military service.

In countries that adhere to the principle of total defense, the will to defend is strengthened by the fact that mentally sound and responsible citizens possess firearms, which they know how to use safely and competently. Former Defense League commander Riho Ühtegi succinctly described Estonia's total defense model with the phrase: "Every bush shoots."

I have a few colleagues and acquaintances in the Baltics who, at the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, packed their belongings, ready to flee their home countries if necessary. One female colleague of mine did the same in 2022, packing up her family's belongings and even buying a camper van so she could leave at a moment's notice if the situation demanded it. However, a few months later, instead of fleeing, she joined the Defense League, learned how to use a firearm and realized how she could contribute to Estonia's national defense. Her will to defend was awakened and she unpacked her family's belongings once again.

Number of guns and shooting ranges not speaking in Estonia's favor

Learning to use firearms should not be limited to the Defense League. With proper opportunities, civilians outside the organization could also acquire this skill. But how many firearms are there in our region and how easy is it to practice shooting in Estonia?

Below is a comparison of the number of firearms and gun owners per 100 people, along with the total number of shooting ranges in each country.

• Finland: About 30 firearms per 100 people, with 11 gun owners per 100 people. There are 600 shooting ranges, but immediately after the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, the Finnish government decided to increase that number to at least 1,000.
• Norway: 29 firearms per 100 people, with over 3,000 shooting ranges. Interestingly, Estonia has about 15,000 hunters in total, while Norway has more than five times as many female hunters alone. Are firearms the "chicken" and active hunting the "egg" or vice versa?
• Sweden: 23 firearms per 100 people, with about 3,000 shooting ranges.
  Switzerland: 27 firearms per 100 people. Lithuania: 13 firearms per 100 people. Latvia: 10 firearms per 100 people.
• In Estonia, there are only five firearms and two gun owners per 100 people. According to police data, there are only 111 shooting ranges and private shooting facilities in the country.

From this, it's evident that, compared to other European countries with a total defense model, Estonia has the lowest number of firearms and shooting ranges. A total defense approach would require a different mindset here as well — citizens should have access to significantly more firearms and more opportunities to practice shooting.

Seven pieces of advice for a stronger will to defend

To strengthen Estonians' will to defend:

1. National defense and safe firearm handling and shooting could be taught to children in schools, as is done in Switzerland.
2. Although the number of conscripts has increased, twice as many men should complete military service as do now.
3. The Defense League has grown significantly in recent years and now has around 30,000 members. Ideally, this number could be doubled, although it would still be significantly lower than in 1939.
4. The police conduct thorough background checks on every firearm owner, which is good. Once the background check is completed, more people could be allowed to own firearms and practice shooting without the obligation to participate in shooting competitions, just as most people who go to the gym or run do so without competing.
5. There should be at least twice as many shooting ranges and shooting facilities as there are now. This would require reviewing safety requirements for private shooting facilities to make their construction more affordable.
6. Following the examples of Finland and Sweden, Estonia could allow limited shooting practice on rural land with the landowner's permission, in a safe location and without disturbing neighbors. Initially, sport rifle target shooting could be allowed with a bullet trap for safety. This would enable shooting practice without having to drive tens of kilometers to a shooting range and pay a potentially high fee.
7. Currently, there is no such right to practice shooting outside a shooting range or private facility. At the same time, hunting is allowed on private land with the landowner's permission. This means a hunter can shoot in almost any direction while hunting but is not allowed to shoot at a target.
8. It is important to remember, as the chief of the Defense Forces mentioned in an interview, that over the past thousand years, Estonia has fought Russia roughly every 25 years. Often, success has been achieved when people were prepared.

Undoubtedly, one HIMARS multiple rocket launcher with ammunition gives the defense forces more capability than 50 firearms in the hands of civilians. But if those same civilians know how to handle firearms safely and competently, their will to defend will be stronger than that of people who have never handled firearms.

Additionally, these civilians will pass on the will to defend to their children, thus raising future conscripts and HIMARS operators who will not freeze or think about fleeing in the face of a threat from Russia.

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