Chief of Defence of Estonia: Lieutenant General Andrus Merilo (nato.int)

• Lieutenant General Andrus Merilo became Estonia's Chief of Defence in January 2024.
• He has deployed to NATO-led missions in Lebanon, Kosovo, Afghanistan, and Iraq.
• Merilo's education includes Finnish and US military staff colleges.

"Lieutenant General Andrus Merilo, born 1973, has been Chief of Defence of Estonia since January 2024. His military career includes service in the Baltic Battalion, commands of the Scouts Battalion and 1st Infantry Brigade, and deployments to Lebanon, Kosovo, Afghanistan, and Iraq. He studied at the Finnish National Defence University, US Command and General Staff College, and Army War College. Merilo speaks Estonian, English, Finnish, and Russian and holds numerous awards."