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Estonian Defence Forces
The Estonian Defence Forces, EDF (Estonian: Eesti Kaitsevägi), is the unified military force of the Republic of Estonia. The Estonian Defence Forces consists of the Estonian Land Forces, the Estonian Navy, the Estonian Air Force, and the paramilitary Estonian Defence League. The national defence policy aims to guarantee the preservation of the independence and sovereignty of the state and maintain the integrity of its land area, territorial waters, airspace, and constitutional order. Its main goals remain the development and maintenance of a credible capability to defend the nation's vital interests and of the defence forces in a way that ensures their interoperability with the armed forces of NATO and European Union member states in order to participate in the full range of missions for these military alliances.
The Estonian Defence Forces has its origins linked to the Estonian War of Independence. After the first phase of the German Revolution in November 1918 ended the German occupation in Estonia, the representatives of Germany formally handed over political and military power to the Government of Estonia. A few days later, Estonia was invaded by the military forces of the USSR, marking the beginning of the Estonian War of Independence. The small, poorly armed Estonian military, also known as the Peoples Force (Estonian: Rahvavägi), was initially pushed back by the Red Army into the vicinity of the capital city of Estonia - Tallinn. A mere 34 kilometers separated Tallinn and the front line. The USSR's forces were stopped, in part, because of the timely arrival of a shipment of arms brought by a British naval squadron.[citation needed]
In January 1919, the Estonian armed forces launched a counteroffensive, the May Offensive, under Commander-in-Chief Johan Laidoner. The Ground Forces were supported by the U.K. Royal Navy as well as Finnish, Swedish, and Danish volunteers. By the end of February 1919, the Red Army had been expelled from all of Estonia's territory. On 2 February 1920, the Peace Treaty of Tartu was signed by the Republic of Estonia and the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic. After winning the Estonian Liberation War against the USSR and German Freikorps volunteers, Estonia maintained its independence for twenty-two years.[citation needed]
In August 1939, just prior to the start of World War II, Stalin and Hitler secretly decided the fate of the Republic of Estonia.[tone] The two leaders agreed to divide Eastern Europe into "spheres of special interest" as outlined by the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact in its Secret Additional Protocol. According to this treaty, Estonia was to be occupied by the Soviet Union. The Estonian government decided to give their assent to an agreement which allowed the USSR to establish military bases and station 25,000 troops on Estonian soil for "mutual defence". On 12 June 1940, the order for a total military blockade of Estonia was given to the Soviet Baltic Fleet. Given the overwhelming Soviet force, in order to avoid the bloodshed of entering a futile and hopeless war, on 17 June 1940 the Estonian government decided not to resist. The military occupation of Estonia was complete by 21 June 1940. The armed forces of Estonia were disarmed in July 1940 by the Red Army according to Soviet orders. Only the Signal Battalion, stationed in Tallinn at Raua Street in front of the Tallinn School No. 21, continued to resist. As the Red Army brought in additional reinforcements supported by armoured fighting vehicles, the battle lasted several hours until sundown. In the end, there was one dead and several wounded on the Estonian side and about 10 killed and more wounded on the Soviet side. Military resistance ended with negotiations.[citation needed] Signal Battalion surrendered and was disarmed.
In the Second World War, many Estonians joined Nazi Germany's Wehrmacht auxiliary units, as well as eventually contributing volunteers and conscripts for the 20th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS, which fought against the Allies' USSR.[citation needed]
The Estonian Defence Forces was restored on September 3, 1991, by the Supreme Council of the Republic of Estonia. Since its reformation in 1991, the armed forces of Estonia have re-opened and restored more than 30 old and new units, as well as several army branches.[citation needed]
Since 2011, the Commander of the Estonian Defence Forces has been appointed by and is responsible to the Government of Estonia through the Ministry of Defence, rather than to the Riigikogu, as it had been before. This was due to constitutional amendments proposed by the former President of Estonia, Toomas Hendrik Ilves.[citation needed]
Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Estonian Division was formed in December 2022. On July 30, 2025 Minister of Defence Hanno Pevkur announced the investment of ten billion euros into the Defense Forces for 2026 through 2029. Under the plan the Estonia Defense Force will create the country's first air defense brigade, alongside the creation of an artillery regiment, a military base in Narva, and defensive infrastructure under the Baltic Defence Line.
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Estonian Defence Forces
The Estonian Defence Forces, EDF (Estonian: Eesti Kaitsevägi), is the unified military force of the Republic of Estonia. The Estonian Defence Forces consists of the Estonian Land Forces, the Estonian Navy, the Estonian Air Force, and the paramilitary Estonian Defence League. The national defence policy aims to guarantee the preservation of the independence and sovereignty of the state and maintain the integrity of its land area, territorial waters, airspace, and constitutional order. Its main goals remain the development and maintenance of a credible capability to defend the nation's vital interests and of the defence forces in a way that ensures their interoperability with the armed forces of NATO and European Union member states in order to participate in the full range of missions for these military alliances.
The Estonian Defence Forces has its origins linked to the Estonian War of Independence. After the first phase of the German Revolution in November 1918 ended the German occupation in Estonia, the representatives of Germany formally handed over political and military power to the Government of Estonia. A few days later, Estonia was invaded by the military forces of the USSR, marking the beginning of the Estonian War of Independence. The small, poorly armed Estonian military, also known as the Peoples Force (Estonian: Rahvavägi), was initially pushed back by the Red Army into the vicinity of the capital city of Estonia - Tallinn. A mere 34 kilometers separated Tallinn and the front line. The USSR's forces were stopped, in part, because of the timely arrival of a shipment of arms brought by a British naval squadron.[citation needed]
In January 1919, the Estonian armed forces launched a counteroffensive, the May Offensive, under Commander-in-Chief Johan Laidoner. The Ground Forces were supported by the U.K. Royal Navy as well as Finnish, Swedish, and Danish volunteers. By the end of February 1919, the Red Army had been expelled from all of Estonia's territory. On 2 February 1920, the Peace Treaty of Tartu was signed by the Republic of Estonia and the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic. After winning the Estonian Liberation War against the USSR and German Freikorps volunteers, Estonia maintained its independence for twenty-two years.[citation needed]
In August 1939, just prior to the start of World War II, Stalin and Hitler secretly decided the fate of the Republic of Estonia.[tone] The two leaders agreed to divide Eastern Europe into "spheres of special interest" as outlined by the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact in its Secret Additional Protocol. According to this treaty, Estonia was to be occupied by the Soviet Union. The Estonian government decided to give their assent to an agreement which allowed the USSR to establish military bases and station 25,000 troops on Estonian soil for "mutual defence". On 12 June 1940, the order for a total military blockade of Estonia was given to the Soviet Baltic Fleet. Given the overwhelming Soviet force, in order to avoid the bloodshed of entering a futile and hopeless war, on 17 June 1940 the Estonian government decided not to resist. The military occupation of Estonia was complete by 21 June 1940. The armed forces of Estonia were disarmed in July 1940 by the Red Army according to Soviet orders. Only the Signal Battalion, stationed in Tallinn at Raua Street in front of the Tallinn School No. 21, continued to resist. As the Red Army brought in additional reinforcements supported by armoured fighting vehicles, the battle lasted several hours until sundown. In the end, there was one dead and several wounded on the Estonian side and about 10 killed and more wounded on the Soviet side. Military resistance ended with negotiations.[citation needed] Signal Battalion surrendered and was disarmed.
In the Second World War, many Estonians joined Nazi Germany's Wehrmacht auxiliary units, as well as eventually contributing volunteers and conscripts for the 20th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS, which fought against the Allies' USSR.[citation needed]
The Estonian Defence Forces was restored on September 3, 1991, by the Supreme Council of the Republic of Estonia. Since its reformation in 1991, the armed forces of Estonia have re-opened and restored more than 30 old and new units, as well as several army branches.[citation needed]
Since 2011, the Commander of the Estonian Defence Forces has been appointed by and is responsible to the Government of Estonia through the Ministry of Defence, rather than to the Riigikogu, as it had been before. This was due to constitutional amendments proposed by the former President of Estonia, Toomas Hendrik Ilves.[citation needed]
Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Estonian Division was formed in December 2022. On July 30, 2025 Minister of Defence Hanno Pevkur announced the investment of ten billion euros into the Defense Forces for 2026 through 2029. Under the plan the Estonia Defense Force will create the country's first air defense brigade, alongside the creation of an artillery regiment, a military base in Narva, and defensive infrastructure under the Baltic Defence Line.