Estonian Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur announced his resignation Wednesday, Sept. 2, after prosecutors opened a criminal investigation into an ammunition deal for Ukraine involving shells that were never delivered.
Estonia paid €70 million ($81.6 million) upfront for artillery shells intended for Ukraine, but the supplier was reportedly a shell company owned by Indian businessmen with no history of ammunition sales.
Pevkur said on public broadcaster ERR’s Aktuaalne Kaamera that he would step down and that Prime Minister Kristen Michal would need to find a new defense minister.
“A leader must have the courage and stature to take responsibility even when the responsibility is not personal, but serves a greater purpose in defending the state,” Pevkur said.
He said the audit findings raised questions about political responsibility for the entire defense sector.
“As defense minister, I of course have to recognize that I am responsible for the entire area under my ministry and if you are now waiting for that big answer, then, of course, a leader must have both the courage and the stature to take responsibility as a matter of political responsibility, even when there is no personal responsibility.” Pevkur said.
“I will take that responsibility and the prime minister will have to find a new defense minister,” he added.
Ammunition deal for Ukraine
Pevkur’s resignation follows revelations about a €70 million ($81.6 million) ammunition procurement intended to support Ukraine.
Estonia reportedly paid the money in advance to Indian companies that had allegedly never previously sold artillery shells. The deal has come under scrutiny following findings by the National Audit Office concerning the management and accounting of Estonia’s defense sector.
On Tuesday, Sept. 1, the prosecutor’s office also launched a criminal investigation into the defense ministry’s area of government, examining circumstances covered in this year’s and last year’s National Audit Office audits. No one has been formally suspected of a crime.
Magnus-Valdemar Saar, the former head of the State Defense Investment Centre (RKIK), said no major decisions were made without approval from defense ministry leadership. He said contracts and related documents were provided to both the defense minister and the ministry’s secretary-general, Kaimo Kuuse.
Pevkur acknowledged that RKIK had brought the contracts to him but said he had not read them.
“The defense minister does not conduct contract negotiations; the defense minister does not count socks and ammunition. The defense minister makes the fundamental decision to support Ukraine. The preparatory work for contract negotiations and finding contracting partners is RKIK’s responsibility.”
Calls for Pevkur to step down
The resignation came after several opposition leaders publicly called for Pevkur to leave office.
Toomas Uibo, head of the Estonia 200 parliamentary faction, Social Democratic Party leader Lauri Läänemets and Isamaa leader Urmas Reinsalu all said Pevkur should resign.
Previously, Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal said he did not see any personal fault on Pevkur’s part in the scandal surrounding the procurement of ammunition for Ukraine.
“This certainly does not look good. As things stand, I do not see any personal fault on the part of the defense minister. But that in no way rules out taking political responsibility. One does not preclude the other,” Michal said.
According to the prime minister, the main questions concern former RKIK employees and managers who ordered additional ammunition shipments for Kyiv from the same supplier before the previous shipments had been delivered.
“I consider this a very bad situation. It is certainly not satisfactory,” Michal added.
Pevkur had previously said he did not intend to resign. Last week, he announced that the defense ministry would temporarily take over management of the Defense Forces’ assets following a recommendation from the National Audit Office.
Pevkur had served as Estonia’s defense minister since 2022.
Pevkur defends his record
In announcing his resignation, Pevkur said he believed the government had made the right decisions to strengthen Estonia’s defense.
“I am doing this with the firm knowledge that we have made the right decisions to strengthen national defense. Estonia is better defended than ever before,” he said.
He also thanked Estonia’s armed forces, the Defense League, civil servants, the defense industry, and the country’s allies for their work, specifically thanking former Prime Minister Kaja Kallas and Michal for appointing him defense minister in their governments.
“Estonia’s security is not a one-person project. It is our shared responsibility,” Pevkur said.
The defense minister’s resignation must be approved by the Estonian Parliament, whose autumn session begins on Sept. 14. As a result, Pevkur is expected to remain in office until at least mid-September, according to ERR.