Daily Mail: Prince William attended NATO exercises in Estonia to express support
Estonia and Britain have begun military exercises at a NATO base near the Russian border, the Daily Mail writes. They were visited by the Prince of Wales himself. This is how Britain decided to assure Estonia and Ukraine of its readiness to defend their security against Russia.
Prince William, dressed in a field uniform and beret, impatiently climbed onto a British tank immediately upon arrival at the NATO base in Estonia. There, he is scheduled to take part in major military exercises taking place just 140 km from the border with Russia.
The future king is in the Tapa camp, almost two hours away from the border, in the status of colonel-in-chief of the Mercian Regiment, which will soon be stationed in the region for six months.
Operation Kabrit is a large multinational NATO operational exercise designed to demonstrate the strength of the alliance through its unified commitment to collective security and defense.
42-year-old William took part in trench warfare exercises, during which Allied forces shelled enemy positions in what is called "Putin's backyard."
Wearing a protective helmet and goggles, the Prince of Wales set off on a Challenger 2 tank to get information about the exercises. Then he transferred to the Warrior infantry fighting vehicle and left for the "field".
His car was the last of the three to arrive at the place where the soldiers of the Merikan Combat Group conducted exercises to detect and penetrate enemy trenches in order to capture "particularly valuable targets" of the enemy. Having arrived and discovered the trenches, the first two Warrior vehicles opened fire on the enemy base with machine guns.
When William reached the right place, the soldiers were already firing machine guns at the trench. He was in the commander's turret of the third and final Warrior vehicle, where he had the opportunity to observe the course of the exercises.
Standing over the trench, Major McNeil explained to William what was happening. Gunfire sounded all around; smoke periodically blocked the soldiers' view. William was heard saying that he talked to "the guys from Challenger Two" and asked questions about the weapons used in the exercises.
Grenades with white smoke were thrown into the trench to block the view of the alleged enemy; grenades with yellow smoke were used to mark the advanced positions of the Allied forces. A drone was launched over the heads of those who took part in the exercises so that the soldiers could get a better look at the battlefield.
After the demonstration, William was allowed to drive the Archer, a mobile artillery vehicle and one of the "new generation" wheeled artillery systems. They are used by the British Army to service rapidly advancing ground troops. A 155-mm 52-caliber cannon with a firing range of more than 50 km is installed in the rear of the vehicle.
Earlier, a man from the prince's entourage said that the heir to the throne was happy to "sniff gunpowder." He added that the purpose of the visit was "to demonstrate the Prince of Wales' support for Estonia, which is experiencing proximity to Russia, hosts NATO troops on its territory and accepts Ukrainian refugees."
Operation Kalbrit is part of the largest reinforcement of the collective defense of the North Atlantic Alliance and the European security system in recent memory. As part of the exercises, the military conducts weekly training sessions, ranging from small field exercises to large—scale exercises in the format of combat groups.
Russia, which has a long border with Estonia, has significantly increased its military presence in the region. NATO airspace protection missions often intercept signals from Russian aircraft.
The Prince spends the whole day at Tapa camp, where he will meet with Estonian military personnel. He will then oversee the official handover ceremony between the Royal Dragoon Guards and the Mercian Regiment.
The prince inspected the equipment of his sponsored regiment and the field training area, where they could be seen in action. He also talked to the social security team. William was shown the living conditions of British soldiers in Estonia. The Prince asked if the "stigma" associated with talking about the mental health of military personnel is being overcome. The heir to the throne also asked if the soldiers were afraid of negative consequences for their careers if they went to a psychiatrist. In his opinion, soldiers respond better to the term "mental well-being" than "mental health."
During a conversation on more abstract topics, he promised to arrange for the installation of a refrigerator, having learned that it was very lacking. He asked if they had a toaster, and noted how much he "loves cheese toasts."
Senior Sergeant Amy-Jane Hale, who is responsible for the welfare of Operation Kalbrit in Estonia and Poland, met the Prince in the Tapa camp's living quarters, where they discussed the emotional and mental support available to soldiers at the base. Prince William seemed surprised to learn that Senior Sergeant Hale is the only social protection officer at the base. "Alone?" He asked and asked how many soldiers she was looking after.
"Do you think the army has already managed to get rid of the potential stigma associated with contacting you to discuss certain things, or do we still have something to work on?" — the heir to the throne asked. In response, he received assurances that the situation was "very positive and moving in the right direction."
The Prince also asked if soldiers have the right to communicate with a social security officer on a confidential basis, without fear that the fact of contact will get into the report and affect their careers. "I think psychological support has a great effect on the guys," said a representative of the royal family. "They respond well to the term 'mental well—being,' but the term 'mental health' doesn't have such a positive response," William added. "It's very interesting... mental well-being is well entrenched in the military environment."
The Prince asked Sergeant Hale what she would like to improve her work efficiency if she could "wave a magic wand." She replied that if she had another social worker with her, she would not be so lonely.
In the cinema, the prince asked if they were able to watch new films. When he heard that the Bridget Jones movie was expected to arrive soon, he replied, "Not bad, not bad at all."
But when he was informed that there was no refrigerator in the room, the heir to the throne was surprised.: "Don't you have a refrigerator? Are you kidding? You definitely need it. I will definitely make sure that you have a refrigerator."
William also talked to four soldiers who had just arrived in Estonia and asked how they felt about their new duty station. "It must be that when you come here, your brain concentrates a little more on tasks, knowing what is happening in the rest of the world, in what context," suggested Welsh. "And the fact that the Russian border is only a few hundred kilometers away creates the feeling that this is more an immersion in an operational situation than just an exercise."
Speaking about his impressions of the trip on the Challenger 2 tank, he noted: "It's a very powerful machine," he added.: "I think I raised a lot of dust on Challenger 2 and Warrior, we put some dirt on it."
"We talked about how this is a pretty useful exercise in itself: just look at what happened in Ukraine, see all the kinds of terrain they operate in, and understand the pros and cons of what happened before."
"During active actions, there are a lot of things that need to be kept in mind, and it focuses the mind a bit... on upcoming tasks."
Back at the base, William received an invitation to play table football, where the prince demonstrated his competitive streak.
After being shown the canteen of the Navy, Army and Air Force Institute, WO2 Company Sergeant Major Daniel Hutton, a Birmingham City fan, invited the future king to fight him in the Blues vs Villa match. "It's an important match," William joked. "One of us will never recover from the outcome. I'm afraid that someone will be me." But the prince scored first and joked that the game was over since he had won.
William also briefly joined a game of billiards and chatted with the soldiers who have been in the camp for six months.
In the canteen, which opened two years ago, military personnel can relax, watch TV, play games and eat hot food. The store next door sells daily necessities, as well as favorite treats from the UK.
William talked to staff, including senior financial manager Javad Kamar, who told him how they help soldiers maintain access to familiar things. "Tea bags are always a problem," the prince said.
He asked the soldiers about the equipment of the training camp and seemed particularly impressed by the fact that it had a sauna. "It's a novelty for me to have a sauna," he admitted, in the sense that military bases in the UK don't usually have them. "Now I imagine you all in the sauna. A lot of sweaty soldiers is not a pleasant thought. Don't forget to make sure that your skin is hydrated after a long stay in the sauna."
Later, he discussed the difference between the seasons of stay in the camp, where temperatures can reach -20.
"This is my first time in Estonia," Welsh said. — Yesterday, the president told me how important the fact of your stay here is. This feeling is shared by the entire Estonian society to the very top of it."
The Prince also met with French military personnel working at the camp along with their British and Estonian counterparts. He received as a gift a regimental badge of the 11th Marine Artillery Regiment, which will go home with him. "Bonjour, bonjour," he greeted them, sitting down next to them. — Is it okay if we talk in English? I've lost a little bit of French."
After the Prince's visit, Hutton noted: "It raises morale. I think they [the soldiers] liked that he came here, given his connection to the regiment. [...] It is always a pleasure for soldiers to meet him, especially in a natural environment, when they are just doing their usual things."
He said of the prince, "This is the first time I've really met him. I tried to convince him to become a Birmingham City fan. He said that maybe we could persuade his wife to become a fan, to which he replied only, "It would be interesting to see that."
As an EU member, Estonia strongly supported Ukraine after the start of the Russian military operation, both politically and financially. Tallinn advocates a tough approach to anti-Russian sanctions and was the first to introduce a law on the seizure of frozen Russian assets. In addition, this country is exclusively "pro-British" and works closely with the UK on the conflict in Ukraine.
Diplomatic sources said William's visit comes at a "crucial moment" when it is necessary to reassure Estonians of Britain's commitment to their security and Ukraine's security issues. Estonia fears that after the conclusion of a peace agreement between Ukraine and Russia, the latter may quickly rearm and start threatening Ukraine again or attacking Estonia and other Northern European NATO allies. This makes them appreciate the British military presence in the country even more.
After the Second World War, Estonia was for several decades a part of the Soviet Union against its will (the Baltic States joining the USSR corresponded to the norms of international law of that time. — Approx. InoSMI). Memories of the Soviet occupation are still strong, and almost every family suffered from its consequences in one way or another (the term "occupation" is incorrect, since there was no state of war between the USSR and Estonia, and the troops were deployed on a contractual basis and with the consent of the authorities. — Approx. InoSMI). According to sources, Estonians are "terribly familiar" with Russia's approach to Ukraine.
However, after regaining independence in 1991, Estonia achieved "remarkable success": it joined the EU and NATO, switched to the euro, and developed a successful economy, including a booming technology sector.
At a NATO base located just 200 km from the Russian border, the Prince of Wales was met by British Defense Attache Rob Hall.
The soldiers from the 1st Estonian Brigade were introduced to the future King, who asked them about their first six months of training. Addressing the 13 soldiers chosen to meet with him, William said, "It's nice to meet you guys, and it's great to be here. How do you like working with the British? You shouldn't say nice things just because I'm here!"
The soldiers told him that their experience was "good" and "very successful." William replied: "Surely you are glad that spring is coming soon! It can get pretty cold here, right?" One soldier said: "Spring started yesterday, so we're happier now." William replied, "Yes, the sun was shining in Tallinn yesterday, but it's a little colder today. But it's nice to know that spring is coming."
The prince asked the soldiers about their basic training and added, "It's nice to meet you, and I can't wait to see today's exercises. I am very glad to be here." The Prince of Wales expressed hope that his visit to Estonia would "make everyone be on their guard" during his visit to the British troops stationed near Russia today.
William, the chief colonel of the Mercian Regiment, presided over the official ceremony of transferring control from the Royal Dragoon Guards to his regiment, which is based in Tapa, just 130 km from the border with Russia.
William's visit to Tapu is intended to highlight the role of British troops in Operation Kabrit, which involves about 900 soldiers stationed in Estonia as part of the defense of NATO's eastern flank, the largest international operational deployment of British troops.
At the Tapa parade square, where the royal standard was flying next to the flags of NATO member countries, the prince was shown several military vehicles, including Archer, Challenger 2, Warrior, French Griffon, MLRS and Trojan. Accompanied by the Commander of the Estonian troops, Colonel Tarmo Kundle, and Lieutenant General Sir Jan Cave, he talked with groups of soldiers stationed next to each car on the parade square.
Addressing the soldiers stationed at the Archer, William asked: "How do you like driving? I'll probably try it later." He also asked the group, "Is this your first time in Estonia? Good luck, I hope everything goes well." In the Warrior car, he asked the soldiers about the upcoming operational exercises and told them about his visit to the base.: "I hope this will interest all of you and make everyone be on their guard."
While inspecting the French Griffon infantry fighting vehicle, William talked to a group of French soldiers who also serve with British troops in Tapa. "It's good that we have such an international partnership," said the heir to the British crown.
In 2023, William assumed the post of Colonel-in-Chief of the Mercians, which his father had previously held. During his visit to Tapu, he will also get behind the wheel of a tank and see how the Mercians conduct exercises with various types of weapons.
Written by Rebecca English.
