ESTONIA'S PESSIMISTIC APPROACH TO RUSSIA

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 ... XXXXXXXXXXXX HOMELAND DEFENSE: JUST A LITTLE BIT PARANOID ¶10. (C) While Estonia works to temper its political TALLINN 00000114 003 OF 003 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. XXXXXXXXXXXX