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US troops are deployed in Estonia, near the Russian border, reveals Estonian defense ministry

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BNN Correspondents
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US troops are deployed in Estonia, near the Russian border, reveals Estonian defense ministry

Estonia’s defense ministry has revealed that, a United States infantry company has arrived in Estonia this week as part of NATO’s effort to bolster the military bloc’s eastern border with Russia. Statement published on the ministry’s website on Friday said that, US service members are stationed at Taara base in the town of Voru, some 20 kilometers from the border with Russia.

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Colonel Mati Tikerpuu, the commander of the 2nd Infantry Brigade of the Estonian Defense Forces, commenting on the US service members’ arrival and said that, “he expects to be able to integrate our allies on a brigade level and gain an additional maneuver unit”.

Colonel Richard Ikena, US 1st Infantry Division Artillery Commander, said that, “American troops are excited to be in Estonia and look forward to working shoulder-to-shoulder, alongside our Allies”.

The ministry's statement added that, Washington is expected to deploy a HIMARS platoon to Estonia along with associated command and control equipment and systems. Hanno Pevkur HPevkur, Defense Minister said that, “this will allow Estonian troops to learn the ropes of operating the multiple launch rocket systems before it receives its own HIMARS units by 2025”.

The ministry said that, “the arrival of US service members would be proof of Washington’s and Tallinn’s shared values and interests and would serve to illustrate the excellent defense and security relations between the two nations”.

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