Minister: Latvian plans to secure eastern border progressing well

The planned construction of the defence line along the eastern border Latvia shares with Russia and Belarus, set for completion by 2028, is progressing well, Latvia’s Defence Minister Andris Sprūds said on Friday.

“The work is proceeding according to plan,” he said during a site visit at a storage area in the town of Zilupe near the border with Rusia.

Numerous concrete and tank barriers are stored there, which are to be erected for the fortification and securing of Latvia’s eastern border.

The work aims to create the Baltic defence line, with which Latvia and its neighbouring Baltic states, Estonia and Lithuania, seek to protect themselves from potential attacks.

The protective installations are intended to enable the Latvian army to defend the country and its population from the very first centimetre, Sprūds said.

“The main goal is to stop, distract and destroy a potential intruder,” he stressed.

Additionally, tank trenches, ammunition depots and mine storage facilities are to be constructed.

In some sections of the total 400-kilometre-long border with Russia and Belarus, which is also an EU external border, the construction of the line is already complete.

Last year, Latvia’s government decided to invest some €300 million ($340 million) in strengthening the border and constructing the defence line in line with NATO defence plans by 2028.

This year, €45 million is to be allocated for this purpose, with which, among other things, mines and sensor systems are to be acquired. In addition to military infrastructure, air defence and cooperation with local industry are also to be strengthened.