Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania have approved the construction of defensive installations alongside their borders with Russia and Belarus. The network of bunkers will serve as a deterrent to counter military threats. The building of the bunkers is set to begin in early 2025 and is estimated to cost €60 million (U.S. $65 million).
The decision to greenlight the project comes as Russia continues its invasion of nearby Ukraine, and Belarus unveils plans to create a military doctrine for the use of nuclear weapons. The timeline provided for the construction was not specific, but the countries will establish the infrastructure in the coming years.
In 2022, Finland began building a 124-mile barrier alongside Russia. The Latvian, Lithuanian and Estonian defense ministers also signed a letter of intent for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems to establish a framework for the joint use of the systems.
Elisabeth Gosselin-Malo is a Europe correspondent for Defense News, based in Milan, Italy, who covers a wide range of topics related to military procurement and international security.
