海角大神

Ingrid Nielsen, an environmental activist, never imagined that she would one day put on a military uniform.

鈥淚f I could destroy every weapon in the world, I would,鈥� she says. 鈥淚鈥檇 take men out of war and never let them hold power again.鈥�

But Russia鈥檚 full-scale invasion of Ukraine 鈥� and the atrocities committed in Bucha 鈥� shattered that idealism. 鈥淟iving next to Russia, an imperialist country, we simply don鈥檛 have the luxury of pacifism,鈥� she says. 鈥漇o we prepare, because that鈥檚 the only way.鈥�

It is that logic that spurred her 鈥� and thousands of women like her 鈥� to join Estonia鈥檚 Women鈥檚 Voluntary Defence Organization, or Naiskodukaitse. The Naiskodukaitse and its umbrella organization, the Estonian Defence League, or Kaitseliit, serve a single, urgent mission: to make foreign occupation of Estonia unthinkable.

With only 7,000 professional soldiers in a country of 1.3 million, Estonia depends on its reserve force 鈥� not only its tens of thousands of conscript soldiers but also its 18,000 Kaitseliit members, and 11,000 affiliates from women鈥檚, youth, and cyber units. Reporting to the Ministry of Defense, these volunteers form what Nele Loorents of the International Centre for Defence and Security in Tallinn calls 鈥渢he connective tissue of our civil resilience.鈥�

But volunteering in Estonia鈥檚 defense isn鈥檛 just about combat. Mothers lead paramilitary, Kaitseliit-affiliated聽youth groups including the Young Eagles and the Home Daughters. IT professionals bolster cyberdefenses. Citizens train in the same forests where they once played as children. 鈥淚t鈥檚 about embedding readiness into the national mindset,鈥� Ms. Loorents says. 鈥淔or us, defense is about survival.鈥�

Isabelle de Pommereau

With only 7,000 professional soldiers in a country of 1.3 million, Estonia depends on its reserve force and its large pool of volunteer soldiers including Ingrid Nielsen, a mother of three shown here at a volunteer defense recruiting stand during Laulupidu, Estonia鈥檚 song festival. She is in a mortar unit training for combat roles.

While many European countries are still grappling with how to rebuild their defenses amid rising Russian aggression 鈥� often facing public skepticism 鈥� Estonia has long embraced a philosophical model of 鈥渢otal,鈥� or 鈥渟ocietal,鈥� defense. It鈥檚 not just military readiness, says Ms. Loorents, but 鈥渦niting society around a common spirit.鈥� Civil, military, economic, and digital sectors are all expected to work together.

鈥淚n Estonia,鈥� she adds, 鈥渢he struggle for sovereignty is deeply embedded in our culture and identity.鈥�

Keeping a wary eye on Russia

That mindset was first tested in 2007, when the government removed a Soviet-era statue from Tallinn. At the time, Russia condemned the statue鈥檚 removal as yet another 鈥渧engeful policy toward Russians living in Estonia and toward Russia.鈥�

The removal triggered riots among the country鈥檚 Russian-speaking minority 鈥� which makes up around one-third of the population. A massive cyberattack on Estonia, widely attributed to the Kremlin, soon followed.

For then-student Elisa Jakson, the unrest was a turning point 鈥� she finalized her registration with the Naiskodukaitse. Almost two decades later, Ms. Jakson, now a mother of three, leads the organization鈥檚 recruitment and crisis preparedness efforts.

Every new act of Russian aggression, from the 2008 war in Georgia to the 2014 annexation of Crimea, triggered spikes in volunteer enlistment. But the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 marked a turning point, especially for women. In just 18 months, more than 1,300 women joined the Naiskodukaitse, tripling its membership to more than 4,000. At its peak, some 400 women were actively training for wartime roles.

It was as though, 鈥渁fter Ukraine, women realized 鈥� it鈥檚 now or never,鈥澛爏ays Ms. Jakson. The pace has since stabilized, but those who join are now deeply committed. 鈥淭en years ago, the threat wasn鈥檛 as real as it is today,鈥� she says. 鈥淭oday鈥檚 recruits have thought it through. They know they鈥檒l have to do the military thing.鈥�

Naiskodukaitse Press Office

Women volunteering in Naiskodukaitse serve in diverse roles: leading youth groups, strengthening cyberdefenses, or training for combat. All Naiskodukaitse members undergo basic military training, including how to handle firearms. Here, three recruits receive their certificates after completing the course.

Estonia is serious about buttressing its defenses. 鈥淭ime is not on our side,鈥� says Tuuli Duneton, undersecretary for defense policy at Estonia鈥檚 Ministry of Defense. Already devoting 3.4% of its gross domestic product to defense 鈥� a higher share than any other NATO country except Poland, Lithuania and Latvia聽鈥� Estonia plans to boost that to more than 5% next year. A joint defensive line is being built with Latvia and Lithuania. A domestic arms industry is in the works.

Yet, at the core of the strategy remain the citizen soldiers. 鈥淔or social cohesion, the Kaitseliit is crucial,鈥� says Ms. Duneton. 鈥淭hey are among the most patriotic Estonians 鈥� mobilized in the best sense.鈥�

Western allies are paying attention. French and British troops now train alongside the Kaitseliit. 鈥淭hey want to learn how we build defense from the ground up 鈥� starting with society,鈥� says Ms. Duneton.

鈥淓verything must be militarily credible,鈥� she adds. 鈥淢entality, training, command structures 鈥� fully ready.鈥�

When war is a real threat

For Ms. Nielsen, the leap from environmental advocacy to artillery came with deep soul searching. 鈥淎s a mother, a life-giver, it felt like a huge decision. Could I shoot another person? Could I take that responsibility? Am I ready?鈥�

The answer came quickly. 鈥淵es. Because I know why I鈥檓 doing this.鈥�

Naiskodukaitse Press Office

Members of Estonia's Naiskodukaitse, or Women鈥檚 Voluntary Defence Organization, receive basic military training, which includes learning how to deal with nature.

Today, Ms. Nielsen is one of four women in a 30-person mortar unit. She trains in frozen forests, hauls 35-kilogram (77-pound) packs, and loads 120 mm artillery rounds.

鈥淧hysically, it鈥檚 the hardest thing I鈥檝e done. In 10 years, I won鈥檛 be able to do this. But I can now 鈥� so I do it now.鈥� Her toughest moment wasn鈥檛 during training. It came when her youngest daughter grasped what her service meant. 鈥淪he turned pale,鈥� Ms. Nielsen says. 鈥淏ut she accepted it. She knows we have responsibilities beyond just our family.鈥�

Laura Vilbiks is not much more than half Ms. Nielsen鈥檚 age, but the two now train together for combat duty. For Ms. Vilbiks, not long out of university, defense was never part of the plan. But U.S. President Donald Trump鈥檚 election rattled her sense of global security. 鈥淚 needed to know: If something happens, where do I fit in?鈥� That question led her to the Naiskodukaitse, and eventually, to a combat role.

Even within Estonia, she says, divisions run deep. Her own mother still tends to repeat Russian propaganda. 鈥淏ut a common enemy brings people together. We need each other.鈥澛燭he reserve training has given her not only confidence, but community. 鈥淲e come from totally different worlds, but this unites us.鈥�

Once, Ms. Vilbiks assumed she would flee in case of war. 鈥淣ow, I鈥檓 grounded. Once you鈥檙e trained, it stays with you. You鈥檝e already imagined war 鈥� you鈥檙e mentally more ready.鈥�

What drives Ms. Nielsen and Ms. Vilbiks is a conviction shared by many of the women joining the Kaitseliit. Estonia gave them education, freedom, and a future.

鈥淗ow could I not give something back?鈥� Ms. Nielsen asks. 鈥淭his isn鈥檛 panic. This is our reality. And we have to be ready. That鈥檚 our strength.鈥�