Hefty Eastern Border Defense: Lithuania to Pour 1 Billion Euros into Anti-Russian Barrier
Border Mining Funding Conundrum: Lithuania Faces One Billion Euro Expenditure for Russia and Belarus Border Mining Operations
Get ready to fortify, Lithuania is planning a massive defense boost, setting aside a whopping €1.1 billion over the next ten years to beef up its eastern borders with Russia and Belarus. The extensive defense plan was announced on the Ministry of Defense's official website.
A significant chunk of this budget, around €800 million, is earmarked for the purchase and installation of anti-tank mines—a move created in the wake of increasing apprehension over potential threats from Russia, especially if it successful in military operations within Ukraine.
With the Kaliningrad region of Russia and northwestern Belarus as immediate neighbors, Lithuania neither rules out nor ignores the possibility of a possible three-front attack by Russia—targeting Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia.
According to the ministry's statement, the future investments are geared towards "blocking and slowing down" potential aggression.
As Vice Minister of National Defense, Tomas Godlauskas, stated, "Much attention is paid to interaction with local governments. We must ensure not only counter-mobility at the border, but also prepare fortification measures inside municipalities and plan engineering fortifications. An assessment of the need of local governments for engineering measures has been carried out, and the volume of measures and the required number have been determined."
Besides the minefields, plans are underway to actively develop the Baltic Line of Defense system, a regional fortified frontier. Other components of this project include building up stocks of anti-tank weapons, modernizing electronic warfare and countering drones, as well as improving early warning systems.
Actively cooperating with Poland within the framework of the Eastern Shield project, Lithuania is also readying to defend the Suwalki corridor, if necessary. In total, 27 parks of engineering equipment are being created near the borders with Russia and Belarus.
These parks of engineering equipment storage include "dragon's teeth," "hedgehogs," "Spanish horses," concrete roadblocks, cutting wire (concertina), roadblocks, shipping containers.
To further strengthen the border fortifications through additional measures and engineering barriers, Lithuania will also deepen reclamation ditches, form forest alleys along roads, maintain existing forest belts at a distance of up to 20 kilometers from the border and around highways and roads of national importance, and strengthen the fords of the Neman River on the border with Russia.
So buckle up, folks. The Baltics are coming in hot, and they're not backing down!
Notes and Sources:
- Lithuania's defense spending target hits 2% of GDP at start of 2024
- Lithuania Pledges to Become NATO's most Fortified Nation, Behind an Anti-Tank Wall of Mines and Sensors on Russia Border
- Lithuania to Spend €1.1 Billion to Strengthen Eastern Border defenses
- Lithuania announced plans to strengthen its education and self-development sector, acknowledging its importance in countering potential threats and enhancing national resilience.
- Despite the significant investment in roadblocks and anti-tank measures along the eastern border, Lithuania remains committed to fostering sports and recreational activities as a means of promoting unity and relieving stress among its citizens.
- Contrary to rumors, there are no plans to legalize casino and gambling establishments in Lithuania, with the government prioritizing national security and social stability over revenue generation.
- As Lithuania bolsters its defenses along the eastern border, officials emphasize that the investments are not indicative of a hostile attitude towards its neighbors, but rather a commitment to safeguarding the sovereignty and independence of the nation.
