The minister said that the process of determining these objects is ongoing, after a national defense action plan was created at the end of last year.

Läänemets also stressed that infrastructure is only a small part of the broader security measures the state is enacting.

On Wednesday it became clear that only one electricity supply facility in Estonia has certain physical security requirements as a result of a national defense object status, heightening concerns in the wake of the Eagle S incident over Christmas time, and the impending desynchronization from the Russian grid next month.

The National Audit Office (Riigikontroll) has recommended evaluating whether more electricity facilities should be designated as national defense objects, given the changing security situation.

However, Minister Läänemets said he was not alarmed by these findings, stating that significant work has been done even before these facilities were due to be listed as defense objects.

Speaking to "Esimene stuudio" on Wednesday, Läänemets said: "Because we have done a lot in the meantime. We have done a lot even when these facilities were not on the national defense list."

"That doesn't mean that the police or the Internal Security Service haven't been in contact with these institutions or companies, advising them on implementing security measures, what to look out for, and how to respond. We've done this repeatedly in recent years," the minister went on.

Läänemets said that the risk assessment conducted in 2017 was different, with only one facility designated at the time. He stressed that national defense objects are determined via specific measures, not by simply assigning security guards, also mentioning that many other facilities will soon be designated as national defense objects, with additional designations to follow.

One of the key ongoing projects is the desynchronization from Russia's electricity grid, which Läänemets called an important step in reducing dependency. He noted that while the procedure may seem routine, it will require police operations and security measures.

"If we talk about this desynchronization, then on the one hand, it seems like it will be an ordinary weekend when it happens, and hopefully, it will be, as we strive to make it as routine as possible," Läänemets said.

"On the other hand, this means disconnecting from Russia. We are eliminating one major, and the last significant, dependency. The procedure itself is something rarely undertaken globally. Considering the security situation, various police operations and security measures will accompany it," he continued.

"We are doing this not because we know someone is coming to attack, but because this is standard practice for ensuring security, deterring threats, and preventing problems. It's a very significant operation. I dare to say that hundreds and hundreds of people in Estonia have been working on it for a long time," Läänemets added.

As for military preparedness, Läänemets responded to concerns raised by former naval commander Jüri Saska, about Estonia's ability to intercept suspicious vessels in the Baltic Sea. The minister gave his assurance that Estonia has the required capabilities, particularly when it comes to helicopters, and mentioned plans to procure new ships for the national civilian fleet, which could serve both defensive and police operations.

"With helicopters, we can carry out operations regardless of wave heights. It is indeed the case that certain wave heights make things inaccessible to our naval vessels. However, this is part of a process we've initiated to eventually procure new ships for the state fleet. We are also considering whether we can add a security function to them so that both the defense forces and the police can use them for operations."

Regarding the Police and Border Guard Board's (PPA) own helicopters, the minister said they are considering replacing these earlier than planned. The helicopters, which cost between €30 million and €40 million each, have been facing technical issues, and only one of the three 'copters is currently operational.

Finally, Läänemets responded to a question about Estonia's open border with Russia despite concerns over possible sabotage. He stated that while there is a plan to close the border if necessary, it would likely not cause Russia to reconsider its actions, yet might lead to other security challenges.

"We have a plan in place to close the border if necessary. The question is simply whether closing the border would cause the Russians to reconsider their actions. It wouldn't. Would closing the border lead to a larger migration surge, as seen in Poland or some other countries? We don't know that. But if it were to, we would have to bear in mind that our security resources would then be diverted there. This would come at a very high cost to society. Is that reasonable? No, it isn't," Läänemets concluded.

--

Follow ERR News on Facebook and Twitter and never miss an update!