On May 12, Minister of Defence Hanno Pevkur, accompanied by the Deputy Commander of the Estonian Defence Forces, Brigadier General Andrus Merilo, visited the Spring Storm exercise, where they met with allies, reservists, and members of the Estonian Defence League preparing for upcoming training battles in Pärnu County.
The minister received an overview of the exercise scenario and situation, led by the Estonian Division, as well as the planned upcoming activities. Additionally, they met with representatives of the British Army and the British Embassy at the Kiltsi airfield, observing the final stages of the deployment of British units to Estonia.
According to the Minister of Defence, the exercise has been successful so far, thanks to the contributions of employers and reservists. “Spring Storm is the best opportunity to practice defence readiness to ensure we are always prepared to defend Estonia’s independence. It is also extremely important to hone and improve cooperation with our allies,” said Minister of Defence Hanno Pevkur. “A big thank you to all participants, whose motivation is high, and to their families and employers, whose support is crucial.”
During the visit, Minister Pevkur also visited units of the Territorial Defence Region West of the Estonian Defence League in Eametsa and NATO Battlegroup’s members serving in Estonia. They also visited the Spring Storm exercise Headquarters, where Colonel Mait Müürisepp, acting as the division commander, introduced the planned activities of the units.
“The Spring Storm exercise has reached its usual highly active phase, during which we once again have an excellent opportunity to boost our confidence in cooperation with our allies and to practice warfare under the leadership of the Estonian Division,” said Brigadier General Andrus Merilo, Deputy Commander of the Estonian Defence Forces. “Today, the division has developed into a very credible real division capable of leading combat operations in all domains on Estonian soil and in the international environment.”
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.
