Relvastama

Relvastama is an Estonian verb meaning to arm or equip with weapons, or to supply arms and military equipment to a person, group, or country. It can describe arming a state’s armed forces, a militia, or a political or paramilitary organization. The action is transitive, for example: “riik relvastab oma vägesid uutega relvadega.” The reflexive form relvastuma means to arm oneself or to become equipped for battle.

Noun forms closely related to the concept include relvastus (armament) and relvastumine (rearment or rearmament). The process of arming is often discussed in defense policy, military procurement, and international relations, covering topics such as arms imports, arms exports, and the modernization of armed forces. In public discourse, relvastamine can be contrasted with disarmament (lühidalt: vähendamine või relvade kõrvaldamine) and with military readiness, depending on the policy context.

In international and legal contexts, relvastamine intersects with arms control, sanctions, and export controls. Governments may regulate who may buy or sell weapons, under what conditions, and for what purposes. The term is commonly used in debates over national security, defense budgeting, and strategic planning, as well as in historical reviews of armament trends and military conflicts.

See also: relvastus (armament), relvastumine (rearment), relvakaubandus (arms trade), relvaseadus (gun laws), arms control.