Photo: The Prince of Wales/instagram official
Prince William of Wales donned an army uniform and rode a Challenger 2 tank as he joined the British military’s field exercises at the Tapa training ground in Estonia, which is located just 120 kilometres from the Russian border. This was reported by Yevropeiska Pravda with reference to The Telegraph.
The Prince visited the largest contingent of British troops abroad based in Estonia as part of Operation Cabrit, the UK’s contribution to NATO’s efforts to deter Russian aggression in the Baltic States. At the Tapa training ground, William met with soldiers of the Mercian Regiment, inspected military equipment and spoke to the personnel.
During the visit, the Prince was shown a number of combat vehicles, including the Archer, Challenger 2, Warrior, French Griffon, MLRS and Trojan. Accompanied by Colonel Tarmo Kundla, Commander of the Estonian Forces, and Colonel General Sir Ian Cave, William spoke to groups of soldiers stationed at each vehicle. On the parade ground, he expressed the hope that his visit to Estonia would “make everyone stay vigilant”.
British troops in Estonia and Poland are part of NATO’s strategy to ensure security in the region against the backdrop of threats from Russia. The Estonian government has recently decided to increase defence spending to 5% of GDP in 2026, which demonstrates the country’s seriousness in strengthening its defence capabilities.
Meanwhile, the Baltic states and Poland are stepping up efforts to counter possible aggression. On 18 March, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, and Poland announced their intention to withdraw from the Ottawa Convention, which bans the use of anti-personnel mines. Estonia explained this decision by the fact that the country cannot abandon defence means that Russia is potentially ready to use against it.
The visit of the Prince of Wales was a symbolic gesture of support for the Allies in the region and underlined the importance of NATO’s unity in the face of challenges from its eastern neighbour.
