Estonia to build 600 bunkers: A shield against artillery
The Estonian Defense Forces plan to construct 600 battle shelters on both state-owned and private lands. According to the ERR portal, by early summer, the military will select one of the two types of bunkers tested last year, allowing construction to begin in the coming months.
The first resistance point, which includes 14 shelters, is set to be built in the fall in the northeastern part of the country, with the next four in the southeast. The bunkers' design takes inspiration from experiences in the war in Ukraine and is intended to withstand shelling from 6-inch artillery ammunition, a standard weapon of the Russian army.
Although the Estonian bunkers are not specifically adapted to repel drone attacks, their construction should provide sufficient protection. As explained by Ainar Afanasjev, head of the engineering department of the Estonian division, additional protection against drones will be offered by special nets.
The defense network will include not only shelters but also anti-tank barriers and firing positions. Some infrastructure elements are planned to be built only in a crisis situation.
Cost and distribution of bunkers
The total cost of the project is estimated to be 60 million euros. Most bunkers will be built on state land, although some will be constructed on private plots.
Officials emphasize that the state does not need to purchase the land—it's sufficient to obtain usage rights, as a single bunker will cover about 540 square feet.
Each shelter will have an area of 320–380 square feet and will house a standard crew of 10 soldiers.
The fortifications are expected to support extended maintenance of combat positions and offer sleeping arrangements for assigned subunits. However, no permanent protection of these facilities is planned.
Does Estonia count on NATO support?
The Estonian Defense Forces, in a country with a population of 1.35 million people, consist of 4,200 professional soldiers and about 40,000 reservists. However, fully staffing the bunkers will require 6,000 military personnel, necessitating prior mobilization of reserves.
The Ukrainian portal Militarny speculates that Estonian defense infrastructure may also be prepared with NATO troops in mind, who could man some of the fortifications.
Source: Belsat
