Estonia's bold plan: Military bunkers to be built along the Russian border
As the war between Russia and Ukraine continues, the Baltic states have taken action against Russia. Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia have decided to create a joint defense zone along their borders with Russia and Belarus due to growing security concerns.
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Meeting last Friday, the defense ministers of Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia agreed to establish 'preventive defense installations' along their borders with Russia and Belarus. They also decided to cooperate on the development of missile defenses and artillery systems.
Estonian Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur explained the decision, stating, "Russia's attack on Ukraine has shown that to protect our borders, we need not only equipment and manpower but also defensive structures from the very first meter."
600 BUNKERS TO BE BUILT
According to the Estonian state news agency ERR, 600 bunkers will be built along the 294 km border with an initial budget of 60 million Euros. The ministry plans for construction to begin in 2025.
No details were provided regarding the roles of Latvia and Lithuania in the joint defense zone project. Lithuanian Defense Minister Arvydas Anušauskas emphasized the importance of cooperation with the US on the development of HIMARS rocket systems in his statement, highlighting the critical role of missile systems in defense strategies.
SUCCESSIVE STATEMENTS FROM NATO
In an interview with Tagesspiegel magazine on January 19 regarding the defense strategies of NATO countries, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius stated that Russia could attack NATO within the next 5 to 8 years.
Meanwhile, the chair of the NATO Military Committee, Rob Bauer, stated on January 17 that the most serious threat NATO has faced in decades emerged with Russia's attack on Ukraine. In the same statement, Bauer argued that NATO's military strategy must change, saying that public-private cooperation would play an effective role in increasing NATO's military options on the battlefield.
The Baltic states' joint defense zone project parallels the plan described by Bauer. Accordingly, Estonia will complete the construction of the defense bunkers with the support of the private sector. On the other hand, no details were provided regarding what steps will be taken to develop military technologies.