Estonia has begun constructing its first concrete bunkers along the southeastern border with Russia as part of the Baltic Defense Line, a critical fortification project on NATO’s eastern flank.
According to Krismaar Rozin, spokesperson for the Estonian Centre for Defence Investments, the initial phase involves installing 28 bunkers. Seven have already been delivered and are being prepared for deployment near the municipality of Setomaa.
The comprehensive network will eventually include 600 fortification structures forming a multilayered defense system. Each bunker spans approximately 35 square meters and is engineered to withstand strikes from 152 mm artillery shells. In the event of escalation, these positions will be reinforced with barbed wire and anti-tank obstacles known as “dragon’s teeth,” currently stored in warehouses.
Procurement challenges
The project faced significant delays due to procurement complications. Initial tenders failed because companies couldn’t accurately estimate costs without access to classified coordinates kept secret for security reasons. To address this, Estonia is implementing a scaled-down pilot phase to gather real-world data before full-scale deployment. An additional 572 bunkers are expected to go to tender by year’s end.
Coordination and progress
Construction requires extensive coordination across multiple agencies — the armed forces, police, border guards, local councils, and private landowners must all approve placements. “We are building it in peacetime, which means that we have to follow the peacetime law,” Rozin noted.
Despite these challenges, Estonia is ahead of Latvia and Lithuania, which are implementing their portions of the Baltic Defense Line independently.
Broader fortification efforts
Over the next two years, Estonia will also construct a nearly 40-kilometer anti-tank ditch along its southeastern border. Additionally, the opposition party has initiated a draft law proposing to close the border with Russia entirely.
The Baltic Defense Line represents one of the most ambitious fortification projects in Europe since the Cold War, designed to deter aggression and provide defensive depth for the Baltic states.
