Latvia has finalized the construction of a 280-kilometer (174-mile) fence along its border with Russia, as reported on Tuesday by the news outlet Delfi, referencing the state real estate agency responsible for the initiative.
This project, which amounts to 17.9 million euros ($19.6 million), is part of a larger strategy in the Baltic nations aimed at bolstering border security due to increasing tensions with Russia.
The state agency, Valsts nekustamie īpašumi (VNI), has indicated that work on additional border infrastructure is ongoing. This includes the development of patrol roads, pedestrian bridges over marshy areas, watchtowers, and various other engineering structures.
Most of the remaining construction is expected to be wrapped up by the end of 2026.
Interior Minister Rihards Kozlovskis stated that Latvia is currently implementing advanced surveillance technologies along the border, which he refers to as establishing a “modern border protection system” at the eastern edge of the European Union.
Finance Minister Arvils Ašeradens remarked that the completion of the fence and its accompanying infrastructure would enhance the operational effectiveness of Latvia’s border guard service.
Latvia has also previously constructed a 145-kilometer fence along its border with Belarus.
Both Lithuania and Estonia are in the process of erecting barriers along their respective borders with Russia, citing security issues related to Moscow’s increased military activities and what local governments describe as the weaponization of migration.
Finland is likewise constructing its own barrier along the Russian frontier, earmarking $143 million for the project, which aims to secure up to 260 kilometers (162 miles) of its southeastern border.
Helsinki has announced intentions to build further defenses, including bunkers and shelters capable of withstanding direct artillery or missile attacks.
Additionally, Poland has finished an electronic barrier along its border with Russia’s Kaliningrad exclave.
This $84 million system spans 199 kilometers (124 miles) of the land border, not including the Baltic Spit, which has been under electronic surveillance for a considerable time.
Warsaw has indicated that the fence is necessary partly to mitigate the risks associated with migration pressures, especially in light of new flight routes to Kaliningrad from the Middle East and Africa.
