Baltic Defence Line
The Baltic Defence Line is a planned joint defense line by Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania along their borders with Russia and Belarus. 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. , construction is to begin in Lithuania by the end of summer 2024, and construction began in Latvia on 2 May 2024.
According to Baiba Braže, the Foreign Minister of Latvia, the Baltic Defence Line could take up to a decade to be completed.
Structure
The Baltic Defence Line is planned to consist of anti-mobility defensive installations, such as at least six-hundred bunkers across each individual national border, natural and artificial obstacles, such as forestry and rivers, and anti-tank ditches, along the borders of the three Baltic states. It is suspected that M142 HIMARS artillery rocket systems are also to be used for defensive capabilities.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.
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. The concept of defensive installations was decided at the 2022 NATO Summit in Madrid.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.Latvia
Border fortifications were built in Latvia in 2025.At the end of 2025, Latvia completed the construction of a 280km fence along the Latvia-Russia border. However border infrastructure construction continued in 2026.