The Russian Federation against Ukraine dictates new trends in defense - the Estonia Ministry of Defense
According to the Minister of Defense of the country Hanno Pevkura, the war between Russia and Ukraine forced the country to revise its security priorities, making the defense potential a urgent need. About it reports ERR. Over the last ten years, Estonia's defense budget has been supported at about 2% of GDP. However, this year it has increased to almost 3%, which is largely due to additional investment.
In 2022, the country directed to defense 776 million euros, while this year this figure was already one billion 132 million euros. During the year, the expenses increased by almost 400 million euros. The increase in costs is associated, in particular, with large purchases of military equipment and equipment, such as volley fire systems, air defense, new armored vehicles for infantry and trucks. New tenders for next year are also planned. "We have a concept about drones.
We study which drones are more suitable for us because there are two types for intelligence and shock. If we talk about drones-Kamikadze, we have already concluded tenders," the minister said. According to the Minister of Defense, the experience of Russia's hostilities against Ukraine has shown that about 60% of unmanned aerial vehicles-Kamikadze do not reach their goal. In this regard, this year Estonia conducted a tender for the purchase of unmanned aerial vehicles.
Mikur stressed that the war of Russia with Ukraine establishes new standards for combat, and therefore forms new trends in the field of defense, which Estonia needs to respond quickly. A separate part of the country's expenditures will be allocated for further military assistance to Ukraine, which is planned to be preserved next year. "We are in contact with Ukrainians every day to understand what they need and, of course, we would like to see that other countries will aim to allocate 0.
25% of GDP annually to help Ukraine," Makur added. In 2024, the defense expenditures of Estonia will exceed 3% of GDP, in particular, with additional investment, and will be one billion 332 million euros - more than 200 million than 2023. However, in the following years, such a rapid increase in defense costs in the Estonia Ministry of Defense does not expect. We will remind, in early December in the border management of Estonian police threatened Russia closing borders.