Some joiners have never held a rifle before, she added, but are now aiming to learn marksmanship just in case. Others hope to regain or boost their physical fitness; all are motivated by the will to defend Estonia in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

"And, to my great joy, many people of other ethnic backgrounds, including Russians living in Estonia," have been joining the league, Ladõnskaja-Kubits – who comes from that demographic herself – added.

Ladõnskaja-Kubits wrote that the organization appears egalitarian, and: "Nobody here is bragging about their name, job titles and achievements," while also being diverse in terms of who it attracts.

She noted that although she is no longer an MP, a sense of responsibility remains, including for preserving a united society in Estonia.

--

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