VZCZCXRO9924
OO RUEHDBU RUEHFL RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHNP RUEHROV
DE RUEHTL #0114/01 1171444
ZNY SSSSS ZZH
O 271444Z APR 09
FM AMEMBASSY TALLINN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1119
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 2656

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 03 TALLINN 000114 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FOR EUR/NB MIGUEL RODRIGUEZ 
 
E.O. 12958  DECL: 04/27/2019 
TAGS: PREL PGOV RS GG EN
SUBJECT: ESTONIA'S PESSIMISTIC APPROACH TO RUSSIA 
 
Classified by: CDA Karen Decker for reasons 1.4 ...

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HOMELAND DEFENSE: JUST A LITTLE BIT PARANOID 

¶10. (C) While Estonia works to temper its political 

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stance on Russia, its defensive posture emphasizes 
internal defensive capabilities, based on an almost- 
paranoid perception of an imminent Russian attack. The 
GOE's new ten-year Defense Development Plan (DDP) for 
2009-2018, published in January, was finalized after 
Russia's 2008 invasion of Georgia (ref C). While the DDP 
is consistent with NATO collective defense priorities, it 
also clearly reflects defense planners' intent to expand 
development of territorial and initial defense 
capabilities. The DDP calls for Estonia to invest in 
improvements to early warning assets, air defense, anti- 
tank, and armored maneuver capabilities to discourage 
aggression and to improve capabilities to support Article 
V contingency operations. The DDP retains conscription, 
expands the size of both the active duty and reserve 
forces and significantly increases the quantity and 
quality of reserve training. 

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