Baltic countries to build defenses along Russian border
At a meeting in Riga, Latvia, Defense ministers of the Baltic nations have agreed on a project to construct a line of fortifications along their borders with Russia and Belarus, including 600 bunkers in Estonia, Estonian public broadcaster ERR reported on Jan. 19.
The project will cost up to EUR 60 million ($65.3 million). Estonia's Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur stated that the objective of building these structures is to prevent military conflict in the Baltic countries.
"The war in Ukraine has shown that in addition to equipment, ammunition, and manpower, we also need physical defensive structures at the border to protect Estonia from the very first meter," said Pevkur.
The Estonian ministry added that it has been fortifying its border with Russia since the second half of 2023. The installation of the bunkers is planned to begin in 2025, pending agreements with landowners.
Each bunker should accommodate one platoon of soldiers – about ten people in a space of 35 square meters. The Defense Ministry said that in peacetime, landmines, barbed wire, and anti-tank barriers will not be deployed at the border but will be stockpiled nearby.
Estonian PM Kaja Kallas previously stated that within three to five years, Russia could become a serious military threat to NATO's eastern flank.
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