Estonia is looking for a suitable site to build a new military base near its border with Russia, according to Bloomberg. The likely location is close to Narva, Estonia’s easternmost city, which sits right on the border.
Narva has long been a sensitive area. Nearly all of its 50,000 residents speak Russian, and many of them hold Russian passports. Tensions have been rising in the city as Estonia has banned Russian-language education and cracked down on pro-Kremlin Orthodox churches.
The planned military base would house a few hundred troops and would be open to NATO forces, including soldiers from the UK and the US who are already stationed in Estonia.
Major General Vahur Karus said in a radio interview that building the base would show residents that the Estonian government is firmly present in the region—and would also send a clear message to Russia.
Estonia strongly supports Ukraine and has a strained relationship with its powerful neighbor. The country has been stepping up its defense efforts for years, doubling its military budget and building border defenses like bunkers and anti-drone systems. Estonia’s intelligence agency believes Russian President Vladimir Putin may be planning to try to push NATO out of the Baltic region.
