Sõjaväe

Sõjaväe is the Estonian term for the armed forces or military of a state. It denotes the organized body responsible for national defense, external security, and related military activities. The word can refer to the military as an institution or to the military forces collectively, and it appears in phrases such as “riigi sõjaväe juht” (the head of the state’s military) or “sõjaväe ajalugu” (history of the military).

Etymology: Sõjaväe is the genitive singular form of sõjavägi, itself a compound of sõda (“war”) and vägi (“force” or “army”). As such, the term is used in contexts that denote “of the military” or “military-related.”

Historically, Estonia’s use of a standing military dates from its 20th-century independence (1918–1940). After incorporation into the Soviet Union, an independent Estonian defence structure was reestablished in 1991. The modern Estonian Defence Forces (Kaitsevägi) comprise three branches: Maavägi (land forces), Merevägi (naval forces), and Õhuvägi (air forces). The Defence Forces are part of the Ministry of Defence and operate under constitutional law and defence policy aimed at national security and international cooperation, including alliance commitments with NATO.

Usage: Today, the term sõjaväe is largely superseded in official contexts by kaitseväe or kaitsevägi when referring to the national armed forces, but it remains common in legal, historical, and scholarly contexts as a broader reference to military power.