PARNU, Estonia, Feb 23, BNS - An estimated 10,000 people, including many who had arrived from other parts of Estonia, observed the military parade held on the occasion of the 90th anniversary of the Republic of Estonia in this southwestern city on Saturday.
No offenses were recorded that could be linked to the parade, Kaja Kukk, superintendent with the West Prefecture of the police, told BNS.
With Parnu's city center closed for traffic during the run-up to the parade and while the parade was going on, only one vehicle had to be removed for violation of parking restrictions.
"This shows that residents took the restrictions accompanying the parade with understanding," Kukk added.
The parade that started at noon was the largest parade of the armed forces held in Estonia ever, in which 1,081 defense forces personnel and Kaitseliit volunteers took part. Forty-seven units of combat equipment were displayed.
The infantry company of the Scouts Battalion took part in the parade on 13 PASI armored personnel carriers. Also on display was a six-strong battery of 155-mm howitzers of the Army's Artillery Group, a battery of 23-mm anti-aircraft guns of the Air Defense Division, a battery of 81-mm grenade launchers of the Kuperjanov Battalion and a battery of 120-mm grenade launchers of the Kaitseliit. The Viru Battalion had sent an anti-tank company with two Mapats anti-tank systems and four Milan anti-tank systems.
Tallinn newsroom, +372 610 8832, sise@bns.ee
