Moats are being built on the eastern border of Latvia to stop possible opponents / Article

During the next five years, the defense industry will allocate 303 million euros for these measures. This year, 25 million euros have been earmarked for the implementation of the measures provided for in the plan.

Today, the construction of the first anti-mobility line was started on the eastern border of Latvia. Near the Terekhova border checkpoint, over a hundred meters from the border, the first anti-tank ditch was dug, which would prevent vehicles from moving across the forest road.

Depending on the terrain and situation in each specific area, anti-tank ditches have different sizes. It is built approximately two meters high and three meters wide so that the enemy’s armored vehicles cannot cross it.

These anti-tank ditches are only a small part of the plan to strengthen the eastern border and create the intended Baltic defense line.

NBS engineering inspector, lieutenant colonel Kaspars Lazdiņš said: “Anti-mobility can manifest itself in different ways, we can use different obstacles. (..) We mostly focus in peacetime on this type of non-explosive obstacles. This is the land of a legal entity, it is a voluntary agreement that he allows digging this ditch here, and he still retains all the rights to this piece of land. We will initially focus on the first line of defense, which will be along the border itself would be reinforced with “dragon’s teeth” – this will also be suitable for each area separately. We also expect to use our own resources, but also to attract civilian businessmen, thus also strengthening our common capabilities in Latvia.”

NBS has identified a number of border roads that will have to be dug. Coordination of works with the border guard and land owners is currently ongoing. Elsewhere, the defense line will be strengthened with so-called anti-tank metal “hedgehogs”, concrete blocks, “dragon’s teeth” and sand-filled bastions.

NBS also plans to purchase anti-tank mines. But the explosive barriers will not be deployed until there is an immediate threat of war. “Physically, no mines will be out there until the war starts,” added NBS representative Lazdiņš.

CONTEXT:

In January, the defense ministers of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia signed an agreement on the establishment of the Baltic Defense Line to strengthen the eastern border of the Baltic States and NATO. The Baltic defense line will be built in a coordinated manner, but each country will do it at its own budget.

The Baltic defense line will significantly strengthen the capabilities of the Baltic states to militarily protect their borders and delay Russia’s ability to implement rapid military operations. The construction of the line is in line with NATO’s defense plans.

The government of Latvia has approved the plan for the military strengthening and anti-mobility of the eastern border, which envisages investing 303 million euros in the strengthening of the border within five years.

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