At the medal ceremony, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Defence Kristjan Prikk thanked the allied soldiers from the British contingent serving in Estonia, who arrived at Tapa last fall within the framework of Exercise Tractable.
Permanent Secretary Prikk thanked the soldiers for their commitment to contributing to the security of the region. ‘You have demonstrated the ability to move operationally and the capability to reinforce the allied battlegroup stationed in Estonia, both quickly and on a large scale’, said Prikk.
Prikk stated that the message inscribed on the medals ‘In Defence of NATO’ signifies the importance of the presence of allied soldiers here. ‘By serving here you have stood for our common values and demonstrated readiness to defend NATO's territory, when necessary. We greatly appreciate this,’ said Prikk.
He noted that over a period of 26 days in October and November, the Queen's Royal Hussars, which reached Estonia by sea as well as by air, rail and highways, provided valuable lessons for both Estonia and the United Kingdom.
The presence of the allied battlegroup in Estonia has been serving to secure NATO’s deterrence and defence posture since the spring of 2017. In addition to the British, the French, Danes and Belgians are also helping to ensure the security of the region in Estonia.
Photos of the ceremony: https://pildid.mil.ee/index.php?/category/59822
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