The Department of Foreign Intelligence of Estonia stated that the goal of the army reform announced in Russia is military dominance in the Baltic Sea region and an increase in the number of Russian troops on Estonia's borders.

"The Russian leadership sees the need to return to the concept of a mass army in order to continue the war against Ukraine and to be ready for a possible conflict with NATO," the annual report of Estonian intelligence "Estonia at the center of international security 2024", quoted by err.ee, notes.

According to Estonian intelligence, one of the likely scenarios involves doubling the number of Russian ground and airborne troops in the Estonian direction, as was the case with Ukraine before the invasion on February 24, 2022.

"How many such units can be in constant combat readiness depends on Russia's ability to recruit military personnel under the contract, train and keep them in service," the document notes.

The Department of Foreign Intelligence of Estonia believes that the success of the military reform in Russia depends on the course of the war in Ukraine. "If Russia is able to implement the reform, the North Atlantic Alliance (NATO) in the coming decade will be opposed by a mass army of the Soviet model, which, presumably, will be technologically inferior to the army of the Kharusniki in almost everything, except electronic warfare and the ability to strike at a long distance," the report notes. .

"Repelling a possible conventional attack of such an army will require the Defense Forces and the defense industry of NATO allies to be many times more prepared, capable and stockpile of ammunition than at present," the Department of Foreign Intelligence of Estonia stated.

Estonian intelligence called the plan to increase the number of the Russian army very ambitious, especially considering the short term and the demographic situation in Russia, and at the same time "very dangerous, as the militancy and military potential of Russia is increasing, and the militarization of society is deepening, as the Kremlin has chosen the path of long-term confrontation with the West." .