US deploys troops close to Russian border
A US infantry company arrived in Estonia this week as part of NATO's efforts to strengthen the military alliance's eastern border in response to a perceived threat from Russia, the Estonian Defense Ministry said on December 16.
 |
US soldiers in Estonia. Source: Getty |
A statement posted on the Estonian Defense Ministry website said the US soldiers are currently stationed at the Taara base in the town of Voru, about 20 km from the Russian border.
Assessing the deployment of US servicemen, Colonel Mati Tikerpuu, commander of the Estonian Defense Forces' 2nd Infantry Brigade, said he hoped to be able to “coordinate with allies at the brigade level and have an additional mobile unit.”
Colonel Richard Ikena, commander of the US 1st Infantry Division Artillery, said the US military was “excited to be in Estonia” and “looked forward to working shoulder to shoulder with our allies.”
The Estonian Defense Ministry statement added that the United States is expected to deploy a HIMARS artillery platoon to Estonia, bringing with it equipment and related command and control systems. Estonian Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur said this would allow the Estonian military to “learn the ropes” of operating the HIMARS high-mobility rocket artillery systems before receiving them from the United States in 2025. Estonia said the presence of the troops would be a demonstration of the “common values and interests” of Washington and Tallinn, and would strengthen the security and defense relationship between the two countries.
Estonian military officials say the country's desire to increase NATO's presence is due to the "deteriorating security environment" in Europe and Russia's "aggressive behavior" in Ukraine.
Meanwhile, Moscow has repeatedly condemned NATO's deployment of forces to the border area with this country as well as the transportation of weapons into Ukraine, saying that will only prolong the conflict./.