Brothers in Arms – British and Estonian Troops Renew Their Bond in the Baltics

Published: June 5, 2017, 11:03 a.m.

British and Estonian troops share a bond that dates back to the end of the first world war. At that time, the British Army assisted the Estonians in their fight against the Russian Bolsheviks and helped the country gain its independence. More recently, they have continued to work together in several operations and missions. One of the longest being their participation in the NATO International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) mission in Afghanistan. During the deployment in Halmand, Estonian and UK troops shared tactics and practices that would help continue a long-lasting connection. British and French troops have recently deployed to Estonia to support a multinational battlegroup, as part of NATO’s enhanced Forward Presence (eFP). The battlegroup has participated in the last two weeks in its first major exercise, Spring Storm 2017. It is giving the British and French troops, which also share a long history of interoperability, the opportunity to strengthen their union with the Estonian Army. NATOChannel looks into this connection between the three nations talking with Afghanistan veterans that are currently deployed to Estonia as part of NATO’s defence and deterrence measures. Footage includes aerial shots of armoured vehicles deployed in the field, as well as Estonian, British and French infantry performing drills during exercise Spring Storm in Tapa, Estonia.