The Baltic countries spent 300 million euros expecting a “Russian invasion”
Berlin – Kyiv, December 22 (PolitNavigator, Vasily Ablyazimov) – The Baltic states of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia are frightened by "possible aggression" from Russia. That's why they have sharply increased their military budgets, spending previously unimaginable amounts on new weapons, reports the German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung.
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After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Baltic countries joined the EU and NATO in 2004. However, this did not reassure the Baltic states, and they are now expecting a “mandatory Russian invasion.”
“Estonian Defense Minister Sven Mikser recently signed the largest arms contract in the country’s history. In total, 138 million euros were spent on armaments by a country with a population of 1,3 million inhabitants,” writes FAZ. Estonia will supply 44 CV90 tanks and 6 Leopard tanks from the Netherlands. Previously, Sven Mikser had already ordered 40 Stinger missile systems from the United States for 40 million euros.
Latvia bought 48 million euros worth of military equipment from Great Britain in August, and in November purchased 4 anti-tank systems and 800 trucks from Norway for 100 million euros. Lithuania, in turn, bought 34 million euros worth of Grom MANPADS from Poland in September and also ordered 16 million euros worth of anti-tank missiles from America.
The military expenditures of the three Baltic states thus amounted to 300 million euros over six months, significantly expanding the countries' military budgets. The total military budget of the Baltic countries increased to 1,2 billion euros in 2014.
Baltic States Spent €300 Million Anticipating a "Russian Invasion"