Prime Minister Kallas: Defence capability means preparedness and confidence

"Russia is organising sham referenda aimed at annexing the territories they have occupied in Ukraine. Then it could be said that the war in Ukraine is also a war against Russia. Putin is threatening with a nuclear weapon and has called for a mobilization. The objective is to intimidate, and that is nothing new. There is currently no direct military threat to Estonia, and we must not be discouraged."

Speaking about the defence readiness exercise, Kallas noted that Estonia has organised such exercises in the past and will do so in the future. Compared to the previous exercises, this exercise called today stands apart by its scale. Continuous exercise and control of defence capabilities confirm that we can manage in a crisis situation. That is what defence capability means - preparedness and confidence that, in the event of a crisis, we know exactly what to do. We have a capable defense force, willingness to defend and world-class equipment. We're organising exercises to make sure it's never needed. The Prime Minister also thanked all the families whose members will contribute to strengthening Estonia's defence capabilities in the next few days, and he also thanked the employers for their understanding.

According to the Prime Minister, the mobilization called in Russia has not changed the threat understanding for Estonia. Estonia is and will remain protected. We can all proceed with our daily activities peacefully knowing that Estonia is protected by our own defence forces and allies in NATO and partners in the European Union.

The Prime Minister said that one possible event, for which we must be prepared, is that Russia might disconnect Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania from its electricity grid. Although Estonia has been preparing for emergency desynchronisation from the Russian electricity grid for years, there might still be temporary problems with the supply of electricity. It would be wise to be prepared for possible power outages - that includes public authorities, companies and every individual. I encourage you to think about how to deal with a power outage. The instructions are also available on the website https://www.olevalmis.ee/en/guidelines/disruption-of-power-supply

Referring to Russian citizens in Estonia who may receive Putin´s call to mobilization, the Prime Minister expressed hope that no one would be willing to go to a criminal war in Ukraine. However, if there is anyone who is considering joining the Russian forces, my message is clear - do not go, because there is no turning back. Whoever raises a weapon against a free nation, against free Ukraine, raises a weapon against Estonia and commits a crime that we will not forgive. With our Western allies, Estonia will support Ukraine completely and for as long as necessary.

"Dear people of Estonia. Let us remain calm in difficult times and take care of each other. Together we can overcome any hardship," Kallas concluded the address.

Full text of Prime Minister's address: https://valitsus.ee/en/news/address-prime-minister-kaja-kallas-22nd-september-2022