The General Staff of the Estonian Armed Forces has received instructions from NATO to prepare for a potential military conflict with Russia, Chief of the General Staff of the Estonian Defence Forces Major General Vahur Karus said in an interview with Estonian state radio ERR.

According to Karus, NATO has set specific tasks for the Estonian army regarding the conduct of military operations against targets on Russian territory.

"Our long-range strike capabilities now play an important role in NATO's military plans. The Alliance requires Estonia to prepare them to hit specific targets, after which NATO will be able to operate quickly on our territory," — the general said.

Karus also noted that before the conflict in Ukraine, the demands on Estonian forces were much softer: the army was expected to be able to hold out for ten days until the main allied forces arrived. However, with the current changes in NATO strategy, Estonia's role in the event of a conflict will be different.

"These new tasks assigned to our armed forces represent a fundamental change in our military doctrine. Estonia can now count on immediate participation in combat operations from allied troops stationed on our territory, unlike what was expected ten years ago," — added the Chief of the General Staff.

The changes in military strategy are related to the increased tensions between Russia and NATO countries. As Karus emphasized, such tasks require Estonia to fully mobilize and prepare its forces for immediate response.