Russia Labels Estonia’s First HIMARS Exercises a ‘Provocation’

Dmitry Peskov, the press secretary for the Russian president, criticized Estonia’s first live-fire exercises using American HIMARS rocket systems.

The Russian service of Radio Svoboda reported on this.

Peskov stated that the Baltic Sea region has become a zone of ongoing tension due to the “aggressive policies” of the Baltic coastal nations.

“Russia intends to firmly defend its legitimate interests in this region. Russia is a Baltic state. The fact that many countries are engaging in provocative actions there is also an obvious reality,” the Kremlin spokesman claimed.

On July 12, Militarnyi reported on the first combat firings of Estonian HIMARS rocket systems, which took place on the island of Saaremaa.

According to Estonian military officials, all missiles accurately hit maritime targets located up to 15 kilometers away.

The targets were small, roughly the size of a bucket.

Back in April, the official handover ceremony for all six M142 HIMARS rocket systems took place at one of the Estonian Defence Forces’ military bases.

Preparation for the use of HIMARS, which arrived in the spring, lasted several months. Prior to that, the artillery personnel successfully retrained as rocket operators.

Estonia’s HIMARS Contract

A contract worth $500 million was signed in December 2022.

The agreement includes not only launchers but also GMLRS rocket ammunition, communication equipment, training programs for personnel, as well as logistical and technical support.

Additionally, the Estonian HIMARS arsenal will include M57 ATACMS ballistic missiles with a range of up to 300 km.