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81% of Estonians Support Armed Resistance if Country Is Attacked, Defense Survey Finds
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A large majority of Estonians are prepared to support the country’s defense in the event of external aggression, according to the results of an annual national defense survey commissioned by Estonia’s Ministry of Defense and reported by ERR on May 31.
The survey found that 81% of respondents believe Estonia should offer armed resistance if attacked. Meanwhile, 62% said they would be personally willing to contribute to the country’s defense according to their skills and abilities.
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The level of personal readiness has remained stable over the past two years. Among ethnic Estonians, 69% expressed willingness to participate in national defense efforts, compared with 48% among respondents from other ethnic groups.
The study also found that half of the population believes Estonia is capable of defending itself until allied assistance arrives. More than half of respondents said they viewed the development of the country’s defense capabilities in recent years positively.
Support for national defense measures remains strong. According to the survey, 81% of respondents approve of reserve military training exercises, while 79% support allied air force training activities conducted in Estonian airspace.
Public backing for the expansion of military training areas has also increased, reaching 64%.
Most respondents favored maintaining or increasing defense spending. 35% supported further increases to the military budget, while an equal share favored keeping defense expenditures at their current level. Only 17% said spending should be reduced.
The survey also highlighted continued strong support for Estonia’s membership in NATO. 82% of respondents supported remaining in the alliance, while 71% said NATO membership helps deter military conflict.
In addition, the poll showed substantial support for Ukraine. 67% of respondents backed continued assistance to Ukraine in its war against Russia.
Support was particularly high among ethnic Estonians, with 80% favoring continued aid. Among respondents from other ethnic backgrounds, 41% expressed support for ongoing assistance to Ukraine.
In May, Estonian Police and Border Guard Board deployed its first permanent anti-drone detection and surveillance systems along sections of the Russian border.
According to Estonia’s Interior Ministry, the initial systems were installed at three locations along the southeastern border between the Estonia–Latvia–Russia tripoint and the Luhamaa crossing area. In addition to the fixed installations, authorities have introduced mobile radar units mounted on trailers that can be repositioned as needed to monitor difficult terrain and potential blind spots along the border.
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