NATO to bolster military presence in Estonia from 2027

Estonian Defence Minister Hanno Pevkur said on Saturday that the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) will increase the number of personnel stationed in Estonia to 1,200 by 2027. “Next spring we will receive additional military personnel from the United Kingdom, bringing the total number of personnel to nearly 1,200,” Pevkur told Estonian public broadcaster ERR. This means the number of NATO troops in Estonia will grow by around 300 personnel, Pevkur said. He also mentioned that the British forces will bring long-range drones on the deployment. According to the ERR report, the delivery of equipment and ammunition for the British troops is scheduled to begin in 2026. Additionally, a military exercise involving the British Armed Forces’ Fourth Brigade in Estonia has been scheduled for 2027. In recent years, Russia has repeatedly highlighted the increase in NATO activity and the alliance’s military build-up near Russia’s western borders. The Kremlin has stressed that Russia does not threaten any country, but will not ignore actions deemed potentially harmful to its national interests.