Lying among teh blueberries, the French soldiers and the Estonian volunteers face each other. It was 7:45 this Sunday morning when the first firefights broke out in the forest of a large Estonian military maneuver camp. This is Operation “Hubert”. Throughout the night the French prepared their infiltration, requiring them to cross a river to attack the enemy and push him back. Ther are around thirty volunteers from the Estonian Defense League on site. The purpose of the exercise “teach them to carry out their mission well: to prohibit » explains Lieutenant François, section head.
Early in the morning the French and Estonians take stock. “They were very professional,especially in terms of camouflage,we had difficulty spotting them,” he assures First class Timothy. On the Estonian side we appreciated it “tactical skills” of the French.The exercise was a test for local volunteers, destined to become group leaders. The exercise is meant to be realistic: this is how volunteers are supposed to defend themselves from a more powerful army invading their country.
“Total Defense”
Estonia, with just 1.2 million inhabitants, has a very small professional army. The Defense League, an association created on 11 November 1918, when the country had just become an self-reliant republic, therefore has a fundamental role to play in the event of conflict. In the baltic country the concept of “total defense” prevails: the entire population is called upon to resist in the event of invasion by a foreign army.
Today the League has nearly 20,000 members,including specialists in logistics,war medicine and combat units. These,who train regularly,are included in the country’s defense plans.The League’s funding is ample: 240 million euros for the period 2025-2028. It is also well armed: at the end of October the League received 20 attack drones and four reconnaissance drones.
“Aggressive in the trenches”
Since 2017, a NATO force has been present in Estonia. The French participate to reassure their ally. In the context of the war in Ukraine, Estonia called on NATO member states to do more, including training. “We are truly in an exchange of know-how,” underlines Commander Jean-Patrick. The French provide combat knowledge in trained units, the Estonians on drones and guerrilla techniques.
“We learn to be aggressive in the trenches” explains Indrek, an electronics student. Born in Siberia where she was deported, her grandmother was able to return to Estonia only after Stalin’s death in 1953. “The whole population is concerned about defense issues, assures Captain Maxime. The Estonians of the League work a bit like us, even if they don’t have the status of reservists. »
After three months spent there, the French will leave in mid-December with a better knowledge of the terrain: “Lots of swamps, big wet cuts, big overdrafts,” summarizes Lieutenant Kevin. Thanks to volunteers, French soldiers are learning to move faster. The conflict in Ukraine is not addressed directly by the Estonians and the French. But it’s as if it were floating in the air.