Estonia opens military camp to accommodate NATO forces close to Russian border
The camp located near Võru is close to Estonia’s border with Russia. (Photo: ECDI)
The facility, which cost €21 million to construct, will be able to house 1,000 people and provide a home for exercises and crisis situations.
The Estonian Centre for Defence Investments (ECDI) has handed control of the Reedo military camp over to the Estonian Defence Forces 2ndInfantry Brigade following the opening of the facility.
The camp, located near Võru in south-eastern Estonia close to the country’s border with Russia, can permanently and temporarily accommodate units from Allied Forces or Estonian Defence Forces, according to the ECDI.
Built at a cost of €21 million, it will provide a designated area for allies in southern Estonia, with the aim of holding peacetime exercises and offering a base for crisis situations. It can accommodate up to 1,000 people across eight halls.
“Former allied units were accommodated in Taara barracks, where we provided them with a barracks and built one of Estonia’s largest container camps,” said Peeter Karja, the southern portfolio manager of ECDI.
“With the new barracks, they can stay near the training area during exercises and practice defending Estonia under good conditions,” Karja added.
Estonian minister of defence Hanno Pevkur said that the camp met a requirement for the country to “be ready to host allies on a much larger scale according to NATO’s new defence plans”, while Colonel Mati Tikerpuu, commander of the 2nd Infantry Brigade, noted that Allied and Estonian troops and units could focus on training during peacetime at the facility.
“They need supporting infrastructure – a dining hall, accommodation and maintenance facilities, and a place to store equipment,” Tikerpuu remarked.
More from Land Warfare
-
![Sweden looks to commercial world to meet military UGV needs]()
Sweden looks to commercial world to meet military UGV needs
Stockholm is exploring commercial avenues to provide a small uncrewed ground vehicle capable of carrying 500kg with a focus on challenging terrains and C2 systems.
-
![Patria TRACKX - The ultimate tracked all-terrain armoured vehicle]()
Patria TRACKX - The ultimate tracked all-terrain armoured vehicle
Patria TRACKX, the ultimate tracked all-terrain armoured vehicle, is designed to conquer the most challenging environments with ease.
-
![NATO’s Crystal Arrow factors in Ukrainian UGV lessons as European interest grows]()
NATO’s Crystal Arrow factors in Ukrainian UGV lessons as European interest grows
One goal of NATO’s Exercise Crystal Arrow was to identify the potential uses of uncrewed ground vehicles – as seen on the Ukrainian battlefield – and put platforms into the hands of users.
