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20. Feb 2024

Telegram.ee spreads misinformation about the plan to send reservists to the war in Ukraine

Read this article in Estonian 

The Estonian Defense Forces refute the misinformation the Telegram.ee portal spread on the alleged plan to send reservists to the war in Ukraine. The defense forces dismissed the false information published on February 16 by Telegram.ee, which claimed that the military was considering deploying reservists to the Ukrainian front.

Telegram.ee referenced an article in Postimees from three days prior, discussing the increased involvement of reservists in national defense. However, Telegram added false claims without any source references. The misleading article was titled, “Estonian Men and Women of Working Age Going to War? Defense Forces Considering Sending Reservists to the Ukrainian Front.” The piece suggested that voluntary reservists might be involved in military foreign operations in Ukraine or elsewhere, such as Iraq.

Contrary to Telegram’s assertions, the original Postimees article did not contain any of the aforementioned claims, and the word “Ukraine” was never mentioned. Captain Taavi Laasik, spokesperson for the Estonian Defense Forces, categorically denied Telegram’s allegations. “The theme of Ukraine and war has been maliciously and deliberately attached to it. Estonian defence personnel are not participating in the war in Ukraine, and the Defense Forces do not plan to send active or reserve personnel to engage in combat there,” confirmed Laasik.

Laasik explained that the Postimees article discussed the activation and restructuring of reserve service to offer reservists more opportunities to participate in defense force activities actively. This allows reservists to contribute temporarily according to their capabilities and needs, transitioning between civilian and active service. Participation in foreign operations by reserve forces could be one of the many possibilities, always voluntarily and based on individual willingness. Laasik emphasized that similar activities had been carried out in the past, citing the example of a volunteer unit from the Defense League that served in Iraq a few years ago.

The screenshots are taken from the sources used in the article.

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