Some NATO sources have expressed concern over a lack of armed forces reservists available ahead of this year’s large scale Exercise Spring Storm (Kevadtorm). Despite the number of reservists required to attend being halved to 2,500 earlier this year, only around 300 are reportedly being summoned.
Estonia’s armed forces primarily comprise the Estonian Defense Forces (EDF) – which includes maritime, air, military police, cyber warfare and other arms, bolstered by the volunteer Defense League (Kaitseliit).
The EDF is a few thousand strong as regards regular troops, both volunteers and conscripts, with lists of well over 20,000 reservists, eligible for service in the years following their service period.
The Defense League is around 22,250-strong, and draws its strength territorially.
Personnel from the latter in particular have the option to go on exercise in the fall, instead of at Spring Storm.
Given the coronavirus pandemic considerations, numbers at this year’s Spring Storm were likely to be lower than in previous years, as they were in 2020 as the virus spread.
In November, then-defense minister Jüri Luik (Ismaa) signed an order to call up over 5,000 reservists for Spring Storm 2021, but EDF General Staff training team commander Col. Mati Tikerpuu says, continuing high COVID-19 rates have forced several changes starting in February, when some pre-Spring Storm training exercises were abandoned.
Read more: ERR.EE