Riho Terras

For the Estonian-American mathematician, see Riho Terras (mathematician).

Riho Terras (born 17 April 1967) is an Estonian politician and a former military officer who is serving as a member of the European Parliament since 1 February 2020. He was the Commander of the Estonian Defence Forces from 2011 to 2018. He was promoted to general in 2017.^[1]

Riho Terras MEP
Official portrait, 2024
Member of the European Parliament for Estonia
Incumbent
Assumed office 1 February 2020
Personal details
Born	(1967-04-17) 17 April 1967 (age 58) Kohtla-Järve, Estonia
Political party	Isamaa
Alma mater	University of Tartu Bundeswehr University Munich
Military service
Allegiance	Estonia
Branch/service	Estonian Defence Forces
Years of service	1991–2018
Rank	General
Battles/wars	Iraq War

He was elected as a Member of the European Parliament in 2019 and took his seat after Brexit.^[2]

Early life and career

He was born on April 17, 1967 in the city of Kohtla-Jarve in the Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic. Terras graduated in 1985 from Kohtla-Järve 5th Middle School. In his youth, Terras was conscripted as a sailor in the Soviet Navy, serving with the Northern Fleet on the frigate Zadornyy. He later studied history at University of Tartu, during which he also became a member of the Estonian Defence League. He joined Johannes Kert in the defence of radio and television buildings in Tallinn during the 1991 Soviet coup d'état attempt. Due to a lack of personnel in the Defence League, he decided to join a course for reserve officers, where he studied alongside Leo Kunnas. He was soon persuaded by Ants Laaneots to become a member of the Estonian Defence Forces. In 1994 he started studying at the Bundeswehr University Munich, where he received a master's degree in Political Science and Sociology. Thus he picked up where he had left off in his education after his time at the University of Tartu.

Military career

His military education includes studies in the Royal College of Defence Studies in the United Kingdom, the Joint Command and General Staff Course in the Baltic Defence College, the European Security. Policy Course in the Geneva Centre for Security Policy, a Battalion Commander's Course in Switzerland, a Company Commander's course in Germany, a Company Commander's course in Sweden and the Officer's Basic course in Estonia. Terras's civilian education includes history studies in the University of Tartu, and a master's degree in Political Science and Sociology from the University of Bundeswehr.^[3]

After graduating from the Basic Officer's Course in Estonia, Terras served as a Company Commander and as a Battalion Second in Command of the Kalev Single Infantry Battalion from 1992 to 1993. Between 1993 and 1994 Terras served as the commander of the Põhja Single Infantry Company. After graduating from the Bundeswehr University (Germany) he served as the commander of the Guard Battalion from 1998 to 2000. Terras was appointed the Chief of Staff of the Defence League Headquarters in 2000. From 2001 to 2004 he served as the Estonian Defence Attaché in Germany and Poland. Between 2005 and 2008 Terras served as the Chief of the Analysis and Planning Department and as Chief of the Planning Section, Analysis and Planning Department in the Estonian Defence Forces Headquarters. In 2007, Terras served in the NATO Training Mission - Iraq as Deputy Chief of Staff. Riho Terras was confirmed in December 2008 as Permanent Secretary of the Estonian Ministry of Defence. Before taking up the position of the Permanent Secretary, he was Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations in the Estonian Defence Forces. Terras served as the Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations of the Estonian Defence forces from January 2011 to March 2011 and then continued his service as the Chief of Staff of the Estonian Defence Forces.^[4] Terras was appointed the Chief of Defence on 5 December 2011.^[3]

Education

• 1989-1993, University of Tartu, History studies, Tartu, Estonia
• 1991-1992, Officer's Basic course, Tallinn, Estonia
• 1993, Company Commander's course, Sweden
• 1996, Company Commander's course, Germany
• 1994-1998, University of Bundeswehr, master's degree in Political Science and Sociology, Munich, Germany
• 1999, Battalion Commander's Course, Switzerland
• 2000, Estonian National Defence Course, Tartu, Estonia
• 2000, Geneva Centre for Security Policy, Policy Course, Geneva, Switzerland
• 2005, Baltic Defence College, Joint Command and General Staff Course, Tartu, Estonia
• 2010, Royal College of Defence Studies, London, United Kingdom

Effective dates of promotion

Promotions

Insignia	Rank	Date
	Second Lieutenant	February 1992
	First Lieutenant	23 November 1993[5]
	Captain	20 June 1996[6]
	Major	18 February 2000[7]
	Lieutenant Colonel	20 June 2005[8]
	Colonel	1 December 2008[9]
	Brigadier General	16 June 2011[10]
	Major General	18 February 2013[11]
	Lieutenant General	5 February 2015[12]
	General	20 February 2017[13]

Assignment History

From	To	Assignments
March 1992	November 1992	Company Commander, Kalev Infantry Battalion, Estonian Land Forces, Estonia Defence Forces
November 1992	November 1993	Battalion Second in Command, Kalev Infantry Battalion, Estonian Land Forces, Estonia Defence Forces
December 1993	January 1994	Commander, Põhja Single Infantry Company, Estonian Land Forces, Estonia Defence Forces
May 1998	January 2000	Commander, Guard Battalion (Estonia), Estonian Land Forces, Estonia Defence Forces
January 2000	December 2000	Chief of Staff, Estonian Defence League
December 2000	July 2004	Estonian Defence Attaché in Germany and Poland
August 2005	January 2006	Chief of the Planning Section, Analysis and Planning Department, General Staff of the Estonian Defence Forces, Estonia Defence Forces
January 2006	January 2007	Chief of the Analysis and Planning Department, General Staff of the Estonian Defence Forces, Estonia Defence Forces
February 2007	September 2007	Deputy Chief of Staff, NATO Training Mission – Iraq
September 2007	February 2008	Chief of the Analysis and Planning Department, General Staff of the Estonian Defence Forces, Estonia Defence Forces
February 2008	November 2008	Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, General Staff of the Estonian Defence Forces, Estonia Defence Forces
December 2008	December 2010	Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Defence (Estonia)
January 2011	February 2011	Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, General Staff of the Estonian Defence Forces, Estonia Defence Forces
18 February 2011	4 December 2011	Chief of Staff, General Staff of the Estonian Defence Forces, Estonia Defence Forces
5 December 2011	5 December 2018	Commander of the Defence Forces, Estonia Defence Forces

Awards, decorations, and recognition

Awards and decorations

Estonian Awards and decorations
	1st Class of the Order of the Cross of the Eagle	5 February 2018[14]
	4th Class of the Order of the Cross of the Eagle	23 February 2005[15]
	White Cross of the Estonian Defence League (III class)
	The First Class of the Cross of Merit of the Estonian Ministry of Defence	28 November 2018[16]
	Ministry of Defence Cross of Merit 2nd Class
	Distinguished Service Decoration of the EDF	22 February 1999
	Navy decoration " Belief and the Will " Class III " Bronze Anchor "
	Distinguished Service Decoration of the Estonian Defence League
	Estonian Defence Forces General Staff Cross of Merit
	MoD Medal of Participants in International Military Operations
	Merit Medal of the Defence League III Class
	Memorial Medal "10 Years of the Re-Established Defence Forces"
	Victory Fire Carrier Medal
	Distinguished Service Decoration of the Information Board (II class)
	The Baltic Defence College Medal of Merit (gold)
	Police Cross of Merit 2nd class	2017
	Special Service Cross of Estonian Defence League School
	Cross of the Estonian Reserve Officers’ Assembly (special)	29 November 2019[17]
	Cross of the Estonian Reserve Officers’ Assembly (gold)	4 December 2018[18]
	Cross of the Estonian Reserve Officers’ Assembly (silver)	12 June 2001[19]
Foreign Awards
	Commander Degree of the Legion of Merit	13 November 2018 (USA)[20]
	Commander with Star of the Norwegian Order of Merit	10 September 2015 (Norway)[21]
	Commander Grand Cross of the Order of the Lion of Finland	13 May 2014 (Finland)[22]
	Commandery of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland	18 March 2014 (Poland)[23]
	Officier of the National Order of the Legion of Honour	4 September 2013 (France)[24]
	Knight Commander's Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany	9 July 2013 (Germany)[25]
	1st Class of the Order of Viesturs	5 June 2012 (Latvia)[26]
	Gold Cross of Honour of the Bundeswehr	20 April 2011 (Germany)[27]
	NATO Medal for the NATO Training Mission in Iraq
	Merit Medal of the Finnish Reserve Officers' Federation
	OSMTH Grand Priory of Scandinavia Pro Merito medal

Badges
	BaltDefCol Joint Command and General Staff Course Badge
	Baltic Defence College Joint Command and General Staff Course graduate Badge
	Basic Officer’s Course graduate Badge
	The Order of Merit of Guard Battalion
	The Order of Merit of the Intelligence Center
	10 year service badge of Defense League unit in Tallinn

Personal

General Joseph Dunford with General Terras during a full honor arrival ceremony at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall, 13 November 2018.

In addition to the Estonian language Terras is fluent in English, German and Russian. He is married with two sons. His wife Kaili is an Ambassador-at-large in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for Education.^[28] His eldest son, politician Hendrik Johannes Terras, was named in honor of Johannes Kert and his younger offspring is named after the Estonian god of weather and harvest Uku. His hobbies include opera, medieval history and hunting.^[29][30]