On Tuesday, March 5, the Latvian government approved a military reinforcement and anti-mobility plan for the eastern border developed by the Ministry of Defence and the National Armed Forces, which sets out ways to ensure the protection of Latvia's external border.
Hesco bastions were delivered to the Piedruja border guard department while awaiting the government's decision, according to defense news portal sargs.lv. This position fortification system is made of metal mesh and durable fabric. By unfolding the Hesco bastion modules and filling them with sand or gravel, they can be used to create bullet- and rubble-proof shelters, the size of which can be modified as required. Hesco bastions of this type are widely used by NATO armed forces in military conflict zones to protect soldiers from enemy fire or to block transport arteries, sargs.lv reports.
Meanwhile, dozens of concrete blocks have been delivered to the border guard posts in Terehova, Pāternieki and Grebņeva, which can be quickly deployed at the border crossing points themselves and on the roads to stop adversaries from entering the country if necessary. Such outposts allow for a much quicker response to a potential conflict, sargs.lv explains.
"The Eastern Border Military Reinforcement and Antimobility Plan is part of the establishment of the Baltic Line of Defense, which will include the creation of support points for National Armed Forces units along the entire Russian-Belarusian border - defensive positions for soldiers and fortified defensive positions, various obstacles, anti-tank ditches, ammunition and mine depots," sargs.lv states.
The defense sector will continue practical work on strengthening the eastern border, investing €303 million over the next five years.
To prevent enemy movements, border reinforcement in Latvia will start with the excavation of existing roads to create anti-tank ditches, while later drainage ditches along the border will also be converted into anti-tank ditches.
Various types of barriers will be deployed, such as reinforcement of anti-tank ditches with concrete blocks and structures such as 'dragon's teeth' and anti-tank mines.
The placement of obstacles will also be adapted to the terrain, using natural obstacles such as swamps, forests, and other natural objects, sargs.lv reports.
