Baltic Defence Line
Proposed defence cooperation between the Baltic States
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The Baltic Defence Line (Estonian: Balti kaitsevöönd,[1] Latvian: Baltijas aizsardzības līnija, Lithuanian: Baltijos gynybos linija) is a planned joint defense line by Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania along their borders with Russia and Belarus.[2] The Baltic Defence Line was announced on 19 January 2024, in a joint-meeting between the Ministers of Defence of Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania in Riga.[3] The Baltic Defence Line began construction in Estonia in June 2025,[1][4] construction is to begin in Lithuania by the end of summer 2024,[5] and construction began in Latvia on 2 May 2024.[6]
| Baltic Defence Line | |
|---|---|
| Baltic states | |
| |
| Site information | |
| Type | Defense line |
| Controlled by | Estonia Latvia Lithuania |
According to Baiba Braže, the Foreign Minister of Latvia, the Baltic Defence Line could take up to a decade to be completed.[7]
Structure
The Baltic Defence Line is planned to consist of anti-mobility defensive installations,[8] such as at least six-hundred bunkers across each individual national border,[note 1] natural and artificial obstacles, such as forestry and rivers, and anti-tank ditches, along the borders of the three Baltic states.[6][9] It is suspected that M142 HIMARS artillery rocket systems are also to be used for defensive capabilities.[8][10]
Alongside the defensive installations, the Baltic Defence Line is to also include storage areas, where defensive elements such as dragon's teeth, anti-tank hedgehogs and razor wire are to be kept.[1]
History
The Baltic Defence Line began to be proposed in response to the Russian Invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, and in fears over Russian threats to the Baltic states.[11] The concept of defensive installations was decided at the 2022 NATO Summit in Madrid.[4]
Estonia
Anti-tank ditches were being dug and "Dragon's teeth" anti-tank obstacles installed in south-east Estonia in 2025. A number of bunkers were also being constructed.[12]
Latvia
Lithuania
In June 2024, Lithuania started acquiring military engineering countermobility materiel for its equipment depots at the border with Russia and Belarus.[15]
See also
- East Shield: a similar project of defensive lines launched by the Polish government in order to fortify Poland's eastern borders with Belarus and the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad.