The defense ministers of the Baltic countries agreed to fortify their borders against Russia and Belarus today in Riga.
TALLINN Estonia plans to build a defense line on its eastern border, which includes hundreds of bunkers, concrete anti-tank barriers, anti-tank mines and barrier wire called nato wire.
– The enemy will have to pay a much higher price for breaking through this defense line than they would have to pay at the moment, head of the operational department of the Estonian General Staff Energy Kundla said For the Estonian public radio company ERR.
According to Colonel Kundla, the preparations of the enemy attacking the defense line would also be visible. The fortified line therefore also serves as part of an early warning.
The defense ministers of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania agreed on the fortification of their borders against Russia and Belarus today in Riga, the Estonian Ministry of Defense said in its announcement.
Mines, barriers and nato wire are stored in advance
About 600 bunkers are coming to Estonia’s eastern border. One bunker can accommodate a group of soldiers, i.e. about 10 people.
The construction of the bunkers will start already next year. About 60 million euros will be used for the fortification work.
Anti-tank mines, obstacles and barbed wire are not placed on the terrain during peacetime. However, they are stored in advance near the border.
At least at this stage, Estonia is not considering placing anti-personnel mines as part of the defense line. Estonia joined the Ottawa Convention banning anti-personnel mines in 2004. In recent months, however, Estonia has started to discuss withdrawing from the contract.
There are no bunkers coming to coastal areas, Tarmo Kundla told ERR.
– We solve maritime defense differently. For that, we are getting missiles and have acquired sea mines, Kundla said.