Estonia is building a 40-kilometer anti-tank ditch on the border with Russia

Over the next two years, almost 40 kilometers of anti-tank ditches will be dug on Estonia's southeastern border, which will be part of the expanded border fortifications of the Baltic Defense Zone. This was reported by the broadcaster ERR.

"Since we already have a good natural barrier in the north-east of Estonia in the form of the Narva River, and Lake Peipsi to the east of it, we plan to build 40 kilometers of anti-tank ditch in the south-east of Estonia to stop the enemy," said Lieutenant Colonel Ainar Afanasiev of the General Staff of the Estonian Defense Forces

He explained that where there are swampy areas, there is no need for this, as the equipment will not pass there either.

The military emphasized that by the end of 2027, more than 40 kilometers of anti-tank ditches and about 600 bunkers should be built.

It is planned that the defense zone on Estonia's eastern border will be about 100 kilometers long and about 40 kilometers deep from the land border.

The procurement department of the Defense Investment Center said that this year it is planned to build two strongholds – in the northeast and southeast of Estonia, they will consist of 14 bunkers, as well as storage facilities.

The Baltic Defense Line project in southeastern Estonia has officially begun with the construction of anti-tank ditches as part of a larger border fortification effort. Initially, the focus was on a small area, where anti-tank ditches up to four kilometers long were being built, and 28 bunkers and 10 warehouses were planned to be created by 2025.

Construction is mainly concentrated in areas where the border runs through dense forests, with anti-tank ditches also serving as an element of border protection. The main goal is to delay enemy forces and gain time to respond in the event of an invasion. Lessons learned from Russia's war against Ukraine formed the basis of the project.

• On September 8, the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs handed a note of protest to the Russian Charge d'Affaires after a Russian helicopter violated Estonian airspace.
• On September 13, it was reported that Estonia introduced a temporary ban on flights along the eastern border amid Ukrainian UAV activity in the Leningrad region and Russia's actions.