Patrik Maldre

My views on international security. Career: soldier, diplomat, cyber intel, ethical hacker, infosec leader. Global Estonian. Ilus on maa, mida armastan 🇪🇪

[Kristen Michal @KristenMichalPM]

Estonia will increase its defence spending to at least 5% of our GDP from next year.

Our aim is clear - to make any aggression against us unfeasible.

Russia has not changed its goals and imperialistic ambitions. This is a real threat to both Europe and NATO.

[Estonian MFA 🇪🇪 | 🌻 #StandWithUkraine @MFAestonia]

The #TallinnMechanism has raised over €200 million in foreign assistance that boosts #Ukraine’s ability to address Russia's malicious behavior in #cyberspace.

🇨🇦🇩🇰🇪🇪🇫🇷🇩🇪🇮🇹🇳🇱🇵🇱🇸🇪🇬🇧🇺🇸🇺🇦

#SlavaUkraini @MFA_Ukraine

[MoD Estonia @MoD_Estonia]

#Estonia 🇪🇪 has renewed its commitment to support #Ukraine with military aid totaling 0.25% of our GDP. If the entire free world matched this level of support, Ukraine’s 🇺🇦 victory for freedom would be achievable.

Together, we can do it—for a safer Europe and a safer world. 🌍

[Estonian MFA 🇪🇪 | 🌻 #StandWithUkraine @MFAestonia]

Russia has a long history of having no regard for human life & their homes.

Today we are remembering 7⃣5⃣ years since Soviets #deported over 20 000 Estonians from their homes to Russia.

Not much has changed, as deportations are taking place today in #Ukraine.
🧵

[Margus Tsahkna @Tsahkna]

Today #Estonia declared a member of the Russian embassy’s staff with diplomatic status 𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑠𝑜𝑛𝑎 𝑛𝑜𝑛 𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑎.

We will not tolerate nor accept any interference by Russia in #Estonia’s internal matters & we´ll respond in a quick & concrete manner.

[WarTranslated @wartranslated]

Ukrainian HUR revealed details of numerous covert operations against enemy rear infrastructure by the group of Lt. Colonel Oleh Babiy, who perished in an engagement after destroying and disabling 3 enemy Tu-22M bombers:

https://t.co/HhRUAeupcB

In his last battle, his unit neutralised three enemy Tu-22 aircraft that bombed Ukraine.

In order to destroy the Russian bombers, Ukrainian reconnaissance officers covered more than 600 kilometers of enemy territory on foot.

They received an extremely important task - to stop numerous airstrikes on peaceful cities of Ukraine. Task was completed. However, it turned out to be the last for Oleg Babii, the commander who provided coverage for the escape of his team.

The hero of Ukraine, Colonel Oleg Babii, was a reconnaissance officer who, from the beginning of the war, took an active part in the destruction of the Russian occupation forces.

From the first days of the large-scale invasion by Russians, he organised and carried out special operations in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine and ienemy territory, which actually changed the course of this war.

To his credit, there are nine successful reconnaissance forays into the enemy's rear, twelve special incursions to organise and support the resistance movement on the temprarily occupied territories of Ukraine and in the enemy's rear. Detection of up to 70 important strategic objects of the enemy: command posts, military equipment, engineering and fortification equipment, etc. Information about them was used by the Armed Forces of Ukraine to plan operations to liberate temprarily occupied territories and inflict damage on important enemy targets.

Thanks to the successful performance of the tasks by Colonel Babi's group, it was possible to disorganise the logistics of the occupiers, destroy their important facilities and elements of critical infrastructure. Entire divisions of the Russian occupation forces lost combat capability, the system of commanding troops and weapons, suffered communication disruptions, and thus suffered losses of efficiency in interaction with their rear.

The last successfully completed task of Oleg Babi's intelligence group - the destruction and disabling of three Russian TU-22M3 bombers - significantly disrupted the plans of the Russian military-political leadership to launch missile strikes on the territory of Ukraine and in fact completely destabilised the operation of airfields and long-range aviation bases.

It is obvious that this caused significant economic losses to the aggressor country and provoked panic among the local population and Russian military personnel, because the forces and means of the special services of the Russian Federation were dispersed. And one more thing should not be forgotten - damage to the image of the so-called "invincibility" of the Russian army and the "heroism" of its military and political leadership.

August 2023. As part of a reconnaissance group, Oleg Babii covered more than 600 km on foot through the territory of the enemy in order to carry out a special combat mission - to stop the terrorist aerial bombardment of peaceful Ukrainian cities by the Russians.

Having made their way into the deep rear of the enemy, the officers accomplished their mission - they destroyed a Russian Tu-22M3 bomber and disabled two more, but they themselves suffered irreparable losses. Returning to the territory under the control of Ukraine, the reconnaissance group of Colonel Oleg Babii was ambushed and engaged in an unequal battle with the Russian invaders.

In this battle, on August 30, 2023, while provide cover to the escape of his comrades-in-arms, Ukrainian reconnaissance officer Lt. Col. Oleg Babii was mortally wounded and died.

For his heroic feat, Oleg Babii was awarded the title of Hero of Ukraine with the award of the "Golden Star" order. Posthumously.

The Hero is survived by his wife and two small children. The youngest daughter was only one year old at the time of her father's death.

[Ambassador Jonatan Vseviov @vseviov]

If not us, then who?

If not now, then when?

[MoD Estonia @MoD_Estonia]

In 2024, Estonia's defence spending surpasses 3⃣% of GDP for the first time, with over half allocated to capabilities. This boost takes 🇪🇪 defence readiness to the next level, ensuring the protection of Estonia alongside our NATO Allies.

[Ambassador Jonatan Vseviov @vseviov]

Some said we had to be “realistic”.

They said that getting the occupiers to leave would be “impossible”.

They asked us not to “rock the boat”.

But we didn’t listen. And with the free world united behind us, we got the occupiers to leave. All of them.

[MoD Estonia @MoD_Estonia]

#OTD, in 1994, the last Russian troops left 🇪🇪 #Estonia after half a century of #occupation. World War II finally ended for us. #NeverAgain

[MoD Estonia @MoD_Estonia]

#Estonia's parliament has approved the updated 🇪🇪 National Security Concept. It points out that due to the growing military threat from 🇷🇺, it is necessary to increase #defence #spending to at least 3️⃣ per cent of GDP + host nation support to #Allies.

[Baltic Takes (formerly badbaltictakes) @Baltic_Takes]

Tomorrow is Estonian Independence Day, the second against the backdrop of Russia’s brutal full-scale war on Ukraine.

Let’s remember the words of Estonia’s first post-occupation President Lennart Meri:

“The situation is shit, but that’s our fertiliser for the future”.

[MoD Estonia @MoD_Estonia]

Allies must give 🇺🇦 heavy weapons, 🇪🇪 w/ 🇩🇰, 🇨🇿, 🇱🇻, 🇱🇹, 🇵🇱, 🇸🇰, 🇬🇧 signed #TallinnPledge , #Estonia will donate tens of 155mm & 122mm howitzers, ammunition, vehicles and hundreds of Carl-Gustaf M2s, worth 113 M Euros. We will also continue to train 🇺🇦 troops. #StandwithUkraine

[MoD Estonia @MoD_Estonia]

#Estonia 🇪🇪 is to send yet another military aid package to #Ukraine 🇺🇦, this time consisting mainly of drones, personal protective equipment, and winter uniforms. Ukraine continues to need our help and support in resisting Russian aggression. #SlavaUkraini #StandWithUkraine

[MoD Estonia @MoD_Estonia]

Staying warm, keeping clean and having clean clothes does a lot for morale. 🇪🇪 #Estonian sauna heading to 🇺🇦 #Ukraine to help fighters at the frontlines. Great initiative by good people, with help by @Kaitsevagi and Defence League. 📸Julia Siimberg
👉https://t.co/e5XDCRP8ds #ERR

[POLITICO @politico]

Ukraine has surprised the world with its ability to fend off major cyberattacks from Russia. And one small country — Estonia — has played an outsized role in helping them do so.

https://t.co/0JFjYZQ6zI

[Magnus-Valdemar Saar @magnus_saar]

#HIMARS Deal is finally done! This is Estonias biggest armament contract ever.
Thanks to everybody on both sides who put in an effort to make it happen.
Had the signing ceremony at Ambassadors residence in Washington DC @Estonia_in_US.

[Tanel Sepp @Tanel_Sepp]

🇪🇪 #cybersecurity conference opened by @kajakallas with a clear message: be prepared and exercise for possible crises 💻

[Alar Karis @AlarKaris]

Very concerning news about missiles hitting #Poland and killing two people. I am in close contact with President @AndrzejDuda to consult on further activities. #Estonia, like all Allies, stand together shoulder to shoulder for every inch of #NATO’s territory.

[Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський @ZelenskyyUa]

For almost 250 years the men and women of the United States armed forces have prevailed against tyranny. ​Your example inspires Ukrainians today to fight back against Russian aggression.

On behalf of all Ukrainians, Happy Veterans Day and thank you for your service.