This year’s investment into Eastern Border Military Strengthening and Counter-mobility Plan will reach 45 million euro

As National Armed Forces continue to implement the Eastern Border Military Strengthening and Counter-mobility Plan, this year the initiative will receive 45 million euro. In 2025 funding will go into procurement of counter-mobility obstacles, sensors, artillery systems, mining equipment and additional support to the State Border Patrol. Eastern region of Vidzeme will also receive new engineering equipment storages. Programme for the procurement of materials for counter-mobility infrastructure from local suppliers will also continue in 2025.

“Military strengthening of the eastern border is a key priority for this government and defence sector, and significant public investments are being made. Military strengthening and counter-mobility plan has already made sure that our armed forces are much better prepared to stop the movement of enemy land force across our national border – obstacles have been installed and some of the roads are blocked. It is crucial to let also local companies participate in border fortification project because they can produce and supply the necessary structural elements for the counter-mobility infrastructure,” Defence Minister Andris Sprūds underlined.

The Eastern Border Military Strengthening and Counter-mobility Plan, approved by the government a year ago, is part Baltic Defence Line project or a five-year border infrastructure investment plan worth 303 million euro. Last year Eastern Border Military Strengthening and Counter-mobility Plan received 25 million, which were invested in:

• construction of temporary engineering equipment storages throughout the Latgale region, along the border with Russia and Belarus. These facilities house tens of thousands of counter-mobility materials, such as locally-manufactured concrete blocks, dragon’s teeth,  anti-tank obstacles (Czech hedgehog), etc.
• 75% of border fortification constructions and materials purchased in 2024 and produced by Latvian companies. These were mostly materials for concrete and steel structures.
• materials for counter-mobility infrastructure required to control or block traffic that were strategically deployed at various locations in 2024. Counter-mobility structures were installed on the closed border crossing and check points to block the traffic.
• border area road and forest clearance blocking required to control the traffic in the border area.
• further assessment and installation of obstacles along the 400-kilometre border with Russia and Belarus.

Guard posts with reinforced structure and additional fortifications, obstacle lines and sensors, together with ammunition and mine storages, will be built in the coming years.

As reported earlier, in January of 2024, defence ministers of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia reached an agreement on the Baltic Defence Line, an initiative that will strengthen the eastern border of the Baltics and NATO. Poland announced its participation in the Baltic Defence Line at the end of 2024. Although Baltic Defence Line construction is coordinated between countries, respective components are funded from national budgets. Baltic Defence Line will significantly enhance the military capabilities of the Baltic required to defend their border and prevent Russia from unexpected military operations. Construction of Baltic Defence Line is coherent with NATO defence plans.

MoD Military Public Affairs Department
Media Relations Section
Phone: 67335309
E-mail: prese@mod.gov.lv