Estonia begins building Baltic bunker line along Russian border
Estonia has started installing the first concrete bunkers along its southeastern border with Russia as part of the Baltic Defense Line, a trilateral project with Latvia and Lithuania aimed at strengthening NATO's eastern flank. Seven bunkers are currently awaiting installation, with 28 expected by the end of the year, marking the first phase of a planned 600-bunker network.
The rollout comes about a year later than planned due to procurement and coordination challenges, including cost overruns linked to secrecy over bunker locations. Estonia addressed this by launching a 28-bunker pilot program before tendering the remaining 572 bunkers.
Estonia is ahead of Latvia and Lithuania
Each bunker is designed to withstand 152mm artillery shells and forms part of a layered defense system that also includes pre-positioned barbed wire and anti-tank obstacles. Construction has been slowed by peacetime legal, environmental and coordination requirements involving multiple agencies.
Despite delays, Estonia is ahead of Latvia and Lithuania in physical implementation. The project's budget is €60 million, lower than its neighbors', reflecting Estonia's shorter border and natural barriers such as bogs and Lake Peipus.
Estonian Centre for Defence Investments:
"Since those companies did not know ... does it have a boggy terrain, does it have some kind of forest terrain, how is the access, they offered very expensive bids."
"We are building it in peacetime, which means that we have to follow the peacetime law." (According to the press officer for the Estonian Centre for Defence Investments).
<bild>Estonian Centre for Defence Investments</bild>