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Automatically translated version. May contain inaccuracies compared to the original.
Latvia strengthens border with Russia and Belarus: anti-tank ditches, “dragon’s teeth” and hundreds of millions of euros for defense
Latvia is actively building defensive fortifications along its borders with Russia and Belarus, preparing for a possible military threat. Four kilometers of anti-tank ditches have already been dug and concrete barriers installed along sections totaling five kilometers, Latvian Television reports.
In the Balvi region, right near the Russian border, service members are installing massive concrete blocks — so-called “dragon’s teeth.” Each weighs about one and a half tons and stands more than a meter high. The barriers are placed in three rows, and anti-tank ditches more than two meters deep and over five meters wide are being built nearby.
“To get past an anti-tank ditch, you need to fill it in or use special bridges. And removing the ‘dragon’s teeth’ will require different equipment,” explained Zemessardze engineering company sergeant Edgars Briedis.
The concrete structures are additionally connected to each other so the enemy cannot pull them out individually.
The first 27 kilometers of anti-tank ditches are planned to be completed in the spring of 2027. The total length of the fortifications within the first two phases will reach 89 kilometers. Construction will continue even during winter.
The defensive structures are being placed primarily in areas where Russian heavy equipment could relatively easily cross the border. Swamps, lakes, and dense forests are being used as natural obstacles.
Latvia is allocating 303 million euros for strengthening the eastern border through 2029. In addition to ditches and concrete barriers, the funds will go toward surveillance systems, detection sensors, engineering mining equipment, and other defensive elements.
Work is being carried out as part of the Baltic Line of Defense, the creation of which Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia agreed on in January 2024 to strengthen NATO’s eastern flank.
Incredible, but true…
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