Download PDF. Monument to the Warrior-Liberator of Tallinn from Nazi invaders. It was moved to a military cemetery in April , amidst great controversy. Photo by: Maxim Nedashkovskiy Wikimedia Commons. E stonia is a very small state, with limited resources to counter hostile Russian activities. Like any small country, it must concentrate on some instruments of national power more than others and use them as intelligently as possible.
Estonia has thus followed two complementary approaches to applying elements of national power since regaining independence in The first is to directly target Russia in coordination with others to create an impact that would be unachievable should Estonia act alone. Russia has a clear, long-term objective to achieve a more prominent place in the European and global security systems, so it acts to weaken the current Western-dominated architecture. It finds and exploits opportunities that challenge Western security structures and Western cohesion, such as its ongoing aggression against Ukraine, attack on Georgia, military intervention in the Syrian civil war, and probable orchestration of the cyber attacks against Estonia.
This malign statecraft has the potential to create unease and undermine security in the target states, requiring vigilance and an appropriate response from state authorities. The presidents of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania issued a joint statement to this effect in , even while Russian troops remained on their territories.
During this period, state resources were limited, and security thinking focused mostly on military considerations and the military as the major instrument of national power. The rule of law, human rights, a strong free market economy, and internal security and law enforcement were all cited as important components of national securityโas were health, agriculture, and environment policies.
These versions each outlined a broader concept of security threat, which in turn required a broader response. The postmodern threat assessment and range of responses set out in the concept reflected the sense of euphoria that accompanied these changes. The concept covered similar themes to those of its predecessorโworking within alliances and building societal resilienceโalthough placing greater emphasis than before on resilience. Countering security threats and risks calls for preventive measures and if they do not prove sufficient, [the] state should be ready to take active steps.
