Baltic Defence Line

The Baltic Defence Line (Balti kaitsevöönd, Baltijas aizsardzības līnija, Baltijos gynybos linija) 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. The Baltic Defence Line is to begin construction in Estonia in 2025, 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, the usage of 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 also are to be used for defensive capabilities.

Alongside the defensive installations, the Baltic Defence Line is to also consist of storage areas, where defensive elements such as dragon's teeth 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. At the 2022 NATO Summit in Madrid is where the concept of defensive installations were decided.