The eastern border of Estonia has seen the beginning of substantial defensive construction. Over the next two years, a 40-kilometer anti-tank ditch will be dug as part of the planned Baltic defense system.
This was reported by ERR.
Currently, a half-kilometer section of the anti-tank ditch has been excavated outside the fence in the village of Vinski near Meremäe; future ditches will be dug within the delay fence, which will also be equipped with "dragon's teeth" and barbed wire.
“Given the natural barriers we have in northeastern Estonia, like the Narva River and Lake Peipus, we plan to build a 40-kilometer anti-tank ditch in southeastern Estonia to halt any enemy advance. This applies along the entire border where necessary,” stated Lieutenant Colonel Ainar Afanasyev, Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces.
He mentioned that in swampy areas this is not needed, as “it is impossible to access with vehicles.”
“By the end of 2027, we aim to have over 40 kilometers of anti-tank ditches prepared, along with nearly 600 bunkers,” the military official noted.
Project manager from the procurement department RKIK, Armin Siilivask, indicated that this year they plan to create two support points: one in northeastern Estonia and another in southeastern Estonia, counting up to 14 points that will be further integrated into the landscape.
“This year we also plan to establish warehouses. Currently, all materials for the barriers are stored in temporary warehouses, but this year we will transfer them to stores closer to the support points,” he added.
Estonia is one of the EU countries that historically had the largest wetlands and is a pioneer in the restoration of these areas after many were drained for agriculture in the past.
However, initial steps in this direction have already faced resistance from local residents and have been put on hold.
Background: At the end of August, it was reported that Estonia is considering the feasibility of restoring wetlands that existed in the past as a natural barrier to help deter a potential invasion from Russia. Finland recently completed the construction of the first section of the fence along its 1340-kilometer border with Russia.