Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, all bordering Russia, fear being the next targets of this country if it won its war against Ukraine.
Lithuania will spend 1.1 billion euros to strengthen the protection of its border with Russia and Belarus, in particular with anti -tank mines, the Department of Defense of this country of the oriental side of NATO said on Monday. Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, of former Soviet republics, strengthened their defense after the invasion of Ukraine by the Russian army.
They also increased security measures at their borders after an influx of migrants, according to them inspired by Moscow. This new financial effort, spread over 10 years, will allow Lithuania to “Block and slow down hostile states”The Ministry of Defense said on Monday in a statement.
Read too
In Lithuania, NATO sky police on alert in the face of Russian maneuvers
“Intensive work” in progress
In January, Lithuania had announced its intention to devote five to six percent of its GDP each year to its military expenses between 2026 and 2030.
The ministry said that “Intensive work” were in progress to determine how “Ensure the integrity of the Baltic Defense line”. He added that 800 million euros, on the total envelope of 1.1 billion euros, would be devoted to anti -tank mines.
Baltic states, Finland and Poland have also decided this year to leave the Ottawa Convention, which prohibits the acquisition, production, storage and use of anti -personnel mines.
Other fortifications on the border with Belarus
Human rights organizations, including Amnesty International and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), denounced this decision.
As part of the planned measures, Lithuania will store anti -tank weapons and erect other fortifications near the “Suwalki corridor”about 70 kilometers long, which links Belarus, an ally of Russia, to the Russian region of Kaliningrad, along the border between Lithuania and Poland.
Lithuania plans to deepen the irrigation ditches which could serve as trenches, reforest the border areas and plant trees on the main roads to protect civilians and the military.
Additional measures include “Electronic warfare capacities, antidron systems and the strengthening of the observation system and early alert”said the ministry.
