Estonia's capital city of Tallinn shipped dozens of generators and diesel heat guns to northern Ukrainian Zhytomyr Oblast from its strategic reserves after local authorities asked for urgent help surviving the winter amid Russia's repeated strikes on Ukrainian energy infrastructure. The Estonian capital chose speed over procedure, pulling equipment worth around €40,000 from its own emergency warehouses rather than buying new units or sending money.
Tallinn skipped the paperwork
ERR reported that about two weeks ago, Zhytomyr Oblast authorities turned to Tallinn with a request for help surviving the winter. Repeated Russian attacks had left the oblast in a dire situation. Tallinn, which had existing contacts with this region west of Kyiv Oblast, responded quickly.
"We have now sent dozens of electric generators as well as diesel heat guns. As I have said, they are going to very specific locations in accordance with this aid request. The total cost of this entire shipment is around €40,000," Tallinn Mayor Peeter Raudsepp said.
The shipment includes small generators capable of charging devices or powering small household appliances, as well as larger units powerful enough to run a kindergarten. City officials acknowledged the delivery is a drop in the ocean for Zhytomyr Oblast, but said Tallinn's resources are severely limited.
Speed over scale
The key decision was to pull supplies from Tallinn's strategic reserves rather than go through procurement. Tallinn Vice Mayor Tiit Terik explained the reasoning.:
"If we were to buy new ones for them, it would take more time. We are giving them our reserves and will then buy new ones for ourselves. Within a month, we will be back at the same level we were at before sending the generators to the Ukrainians," Terrik said.
Mayor Raudsepp added that sending money was also ruled out to avoid procurement process delays.
Tallinn maintains strategic warehouses stocked with essential supplies for emergencies — from beds and generators to large tents and food. City authorities say these reserves require constant replenishment and expansion.
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Estonia's years-long partnership with Zhytomyr Oblast
Estonia began helping rebuild Zhytomyr Oblast in 2022, months into Russia's full-scale invasion. In June that year, then-First Deputy Speaker of the Estonian Parliament Hanno Pevkur visited Zhytomyr and announced that Estonia, together with other international partners, was ready to help rebuild 15 infrastructure facilities in Zhytomyr Oblast destroyed by Russian strikes.
In August 2022, a capsule was laid in Ovruch, Zhytomyr Oblast, for the construction of a kindergarten funded by the Estonian government. That modular kindergarten opened on 2 June 2023.
