Estonia plans 'Baltic line of defense' with 600 bunkers along Russia's border
On Friday, the Baltic countries - Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia - came to an agreement to erect bunkers along their borders with Russia and Belarus. These bunkers are anticipated to constitute the future "Baltic line of defense".
"Baltic line of defense" planned for the border with Russia
The Estonian plan is to construct 600 single-module concrete bunkers. Their interior spaces are expected to emulate living areas. Major Taavi Moor, commander of the Engineering Battalion of the Estonian Defence Forces, clarified in a press conversation that the bunkers must offer accommodation, storage for equipment, a heat supply, and access to electricity.
One of the central requirements for these bunkers is that they be resistant to Russian artillery shelling. Hence, they will be made from concrete. Kurnicki reiterated that the amount of concrete needed to build 600 bunkers is equivalent to the amount required for five residential blocks.
Kurnicki further elaborated that a bunker's wall would be twice as thick as a regular residential block's load-bearing wall. The concrete in the ceiling will be 15.75 inches thick, although the rest of the bunker will require slightly less, as additional protection will be achieved by surrounding the structure with earth.
Building on this, Major Moor added: "The standard bunker will be able to house ten people along with their equipment. These structures will be modular, and their interior fittings can be swapped out to convert them into command centres or storage facilities".
