Fact Check: Does NATO really demand 'certain targets' from Estonia in Russia?

On September 18, 2024, the YouTube channel CTVBY posted a video with the clickbait title “NATO is escalating the situation in the world!”. The video has been viewed almost two million times. The story stated the following:

The North Atlantic Alliance has called on Estonia to prepare for a potential armed conflict with Russia. This was reported by the Chief of the General Staff of the Defense Forces of the Baltic Republic. Karus recalled that before the start of hostilities in Ukraine, the Estonian army was required to hold out for about 10 days before the main NATO forces were transferred to its territory. However, the new instructions have become a fundamental change for the country’s military doctrine. The Alliance has called on Tallinn to take care of certain targets on Russian territory. Only then will NATO fighters be able to arrive in Estonia.

Our verdict based on the analyses conducted:

Verdict: Incorrect

Reasons:

• The thesis or claim is completely false: information from several sources or the opinions of several experts in a particular field contradict it.
• Cause-and-effect relationships and connections clearly do not exist, as claimed.
• When quoting, essential parts are omitted, rearranged, changed, or incorrectly translated from a foreign language, resulting in a fundamental change in the meaning of what is said.
• The event occurred in material respects differently than stated.

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