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Estonia Moves Troops Toward Russian Border, Prepares 300-Km Deep Strikes Under New Defense Strategy
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![Photo of Ivan Khomenko]( "Photo of Ivan Khomenko")
Estonia is moving key combat units closer to its border with Russia and expanding its long-range strike capabilities under a new “active defense” strategy aimed at confronting a potential attack from forward positions.
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According to the Financial Times on October 5, the headquarters of Estonia’s 1st Infantry Brigade—the country’s main combat formation—is being permanently relocated from Tapa to Jõhvi, about 50 kilometers (31 miles) from the Russian border, where new military facilities are under construction.
“We have to start at the border and win the first battles,” Colonel Tarmo Kundla, commander of the brigade, told the Financial Times.
The move represents a shift from Estonia’s previous strategy, which envisioned slowing an invading force while waiting for NATO reinforcements. Under the new approach, Estonian forces intend to defend territory from forward positions and strike military targets deep behind enemy lines from the beginning of an attack.
Estonia is also building a military base in Narva, directly on the Russian border. The facility is expected to permanently host about 200 troops and accommodate up to 1,000 personnel during a crisis.
At the same time, Tallinn is expanding its long-range firepower. Estonia is set to field nine US-made HIMARS and nine South Korean K239 Chunmoo launchers, with available munitions capable of reaching approximately 300 kilometers. The Financial Times noted that St. Petersburg is about 260 kilometers from Estonia’s eastern military positions.
“To make deterrence credible, we have to make aggression against us unthinkable. Our goal is clear: keep the enemy and the destructive consequences of war away from Estonian territory,” Estonia’s Defense Ministry said, according to the Financial Times.
The shift comes as Estonia increases defense spending to approximately €2.4 billion in 2026, or about 5.4% of GDP, with €1.27 billion allocated to weapons and other defense procurement.
Estonian intelligence does not currently assess a Russian attack on NATO as imminent. Officials cited by the Financial Times said they do not expect Moscow to seek a full-scale war with NATO within at least the next two years, but warned that Russia’s military restructuring could increase the threat in the longer term.
Earlier, Estonian security officials warned of a pro-Russian influence campaign promoting the creation of a so-called “Narva People’s Republic.” The campaign, reported by BILD in March, included calls for sabotage and armed resistance, with Estonian intelligence warning that it could be intended to prepare the ground for a scenario similar to Russia’s actions in eastern Ukraine in 2014.
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