Estonia: Armed forces insist on EUR 1.6bn for new ammunition

The Estonian Defence Forces (EDF) warned that war would ravage Estonia if the government failed to purchase additional ammunition as requested, ERR reports. EDF has requested EUR 1.6bn worth of ammunition. EDF commander General Andrus Merilo said that if only half of the ammunition was purchased, all combat operations during war would take place on Estonian soil, which would lead to “catastrophic losses.” Earlier, Defence Minister Hanno Pevkur said that the government would only provide EUR 800mn for the purchase of new ammunition. Merilo insisted that the financial constraints would make it impossible to meet defence plans. Former EDF commander Martin Herem has said that politicians are relying too much on NATO.