During exercise Spring Storm, the 2nd Infantry Brigade’s Engineer Battalion has renovated six key objects in Western Estonia, planned on recommendations and cooperation with local municipalities.
In the village of Jõeranna on Hiiumaa, from May 10-14, military personnel renovated an old bridge and cleared an overgrown path connecting two parts of the village. Previously, the sections of the village were separated due to the broken-down bridge and the overgrown walking path leading to it. The project aimed to renovate both the bridge and the path, making it safer and more convenient for the locals to move around the village.
Lieutenant Tanel Pedaru, a reservist and Civil-Military Cooperation Officer, noted that local residents were very positive about the project. “They came to see the progress and even lent us extra fuel canisters so we could refuel the excavator faster,” said Lieutenant Pedaru. “I believe that the Spring Storm exercise on Hiiumaa will remain in the memory of the local people for years to come.”
In Saarde Parish, approximately 6 kilometres of new road surface will be laid on the Metsaääre-Tõitoja road from May 14-15. On May 14, a cemetery’s bridge was renovated in Häädemeeste, along with the replacement of a deteriorated concrete panel on Side Street and the construction of a culvert walkway. In Tootsi, Põhja-Pärnumaa, an old railway embankment was levelled to make it easier to cross on foot.
“I am pleased with all the levels involved in this cooperation. For us, this cooperation project began at the end of last year when various sites were mapped out by the Estonian Defence Forces,” said Marko Šorin, Deputy Mayor of Põhja-Pärnumaa for Economic Affairs. “I want to commend the personnel who kept me well informed of the progress. I visited the site several times during the day. High praise for both the communication of the unit and the quality of the work. Thanks to the Defence Forces, we can proceed with the municipal plans to build a pedestrian and cycle path using the old railway bridge in Tootsi.”
The Spring Storm exercise involves units from the army, air force and navy, including the Division Headquarters, the 1st and 2nd Infantry Brigades, the Support Command, the Cyber Command, and other units of the Estonian Defence Forces and the Estonian Defence League. Participants include NATO Battlegroup’s members serving in Estonia as well as military personnel from allied and partner countries. In total, approximately 14,000 soldiers are participating in the exercise.
Spring Storm is the largest annual exercise of the Estonian Defence Forces, during which military operations planning and execution are practiced, as well as enhanced cooperation between Estonian and allied units. The exercise involves active-duty military personnel, conscripts, reservists, members of the Estonian Defence League, and participants from allied nations.
Spring Storm 2024 is part of the NATO exercise series Steadfast Defender 2024, representing a significant component of this extensive NATO exercise. Steadfast Defender 2024 is the largest NATO exercise in decades, with nearly 90,000 participants from all 32 member states participating over a six-month period from January to July 2024. The broader framework for the exercise has been set by confirmed NATO regional defence plans.
