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Prince William sends message from tank near Russian border on Estonia trip [1]

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Date: 2025-03

Prince William sends strong message from tank near Russian border

4 hours ago Share Save Sean Coughlan Royal correspondent Reporting from Estonia Share Save

PA Media The Prince of Wales took his seat in a Challenger 2 tank during a visit to Tapa Camp

If royal visits are about sending a message, then the picture of the Prince of Wales in a tank near the Russian border must be one of the most direct. Prince William has come to Estonia to support UK troops in what is now the British Army's biggest operational deployment overseas, defending the Baltic state from the threat of Russia. On Friday, in a freezing cold, mud-churned military training area, the prince saw the soldiers and military equipment guarding Nato's eastern flank. The prince, in camouflage uniform, peering from a Challenger 2 tank and then an armoured fighting vehicle, was sending a signal about the UK's commitment to deter any aggression from Russia.

PA Media Prince William met troops on a visit to a critical base in Estonia

During his two-day trip to Estonia, Prince William visited some of the 900 British troops in this multinational force, including soldiers of the Mercian regiment of which the prince is colonel-in-chief. He was given a tour of the military training grounds at Tapa Camp - part of Operation Cabrit which is the UK's contribution to secure Nato's "collective security and defence" in this vulnerable Baltic region. The prince, who was wearing a Nato badge on his uniform, was shown field training for this battlegroup, meeting Estonian and French troops too. He asked soldiers about their deployment in terms of the "context of being so near to Russia" and wondered whether this felt more real than previous training. This is what deterrence to Russia looks like on the ground - and the base shows how much the balance of power can shift.

PA Media The prince was on board a Warrior tracked armoured vehicle during field training

Before Estonia regained its independence in 1991, this had been a base for Soviet air defences, with MIG fighter planes poised to take on the West. Now the positions are reversed, with Estonian troops and their Nato allies located here to prevent a Russian incursion. The strategically-important army base has been expanding, with the icy streets lined with military vehicles. As well as riding in a Challenger 2 tank, the prince saw a Warrior armoured vehicle, a French Griffon fighting vehicle, a multiple launch rocket system, a Trojan vehicle for clearing obstacles and he drove an Archer mobile artillery system.

PA Media Prince William was given a warm welcome by local people in Tallinn

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[1] Url: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c70eyg099j5o

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