The 270-strong Belgian contingent taking part in NATO's battlegroup on its eastern flank is afraid of cold weather-related injuries due to a lack of winter equipment.
Belgium decided to join a NATO programme called Enhanced Forward Presence, which seeks to build up military presence in the likes of Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and Poland as well as the Black Sea region to counter the perceived Russian threat. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov last year called this process "a well thought-out strategic policy of containing the Russian Federation".
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Anyway, cold weather appears to be a more pressing threat to the soldiers who are slated to be based in Estonia, a country where temperatures may drop below 30 °C. "We fear cold injuries among our soldiers", said Roger Houssen of the military union ACMP, as quoted by Belgian newspaper Het Nieuwsblad.
The operation was planned a year earlier, Houssen claimed, but the army has not been able to buy "proper winter equipment". In his words, the troops have received headwear made in 1951 during the Korean War; other hats date to back to 1963-1967. Moreover, he said, boot covers do not match the boots, and there are not enough safety glasses.
This situation has prompted Belgian troops to acquire warm clothing from American stockpiles. The Belgian staff has, in turn, reassured that it will ship the necessary equipment to Estonia soon.