Estonia Begins Construction of Anti-Tank Ditches on the Southeastern Border

The Estonian Defence Forces and the Estonian Centre for Defence Investments (ECDI) will begin constructing anti-tank ditches this week along Estonia’s southeastern border. These ditches are part of the Baltic Defence Line initiative, designed to halt a potential enemy military attack right from the first meters of the national border.

The anti-tank ditches will be built in Setomaa Parish, in close proximity to the Estonian-Russian border. In the future, the ditches will be integrated into a broader defensive zone — a strategically positioned network of defensive support points that will include accommodation facilities, barrier elements, storage areas, and other infrastructure.

“The development of the Baltic Defence Line is progressing at a rapid pace. At the end of last year, large quantities of barbed and tripwire, dragon’s teeth, and T-Wall roadblocks arrived. We are about to announce the procurement of concrete bunkers, and the first Defence strongpoints should be completed in the autumn. The construction of these anti-tank ditches supports the overall integrity of the Baltic Defence Line,” said Armin Siilivask, Project Manager for the Baltic Defence Line at the Estonian Centre for Defence Investments (ECDI).

The goal of the defence line is to increase the speed and effectiveness of responding to a potential military attack — enabling the Defence Forces, together with allies, to stop the enemy from the very first meters. The defence zone also helps reduce losses in both personnel and equipment on the defending side.

“The construction of anti-tank ditches does not imply an immediate military threat to Estonia. However, planning and preparing such measures during peacetime is the most effective way to deter threats, provide initial self-defence, and ensure the arrival and positioning of mobilized main units in the event of a military danger. It also reaffirms Estonia’s readiness to defend its independence if necessary,” said Lieutenant Colonel Ainar Afanasjev, Head of the Engineer Section of the Defence Forces Division.

The anti-tank ditches are being built in cooperation with the Police and Border Guard Board (PPA) along the border strip, where the land adjacent to the border infrastructure has previously been cleared during the eastern border development, to improve visibility and prevent trees from falling onto the infrastructure.

Border Guard Chief Veiko Kommusaar stated that the Estonian Police and Border Guard supports all activities that help ensure security in Estonia: “Our role at the border is to prevent cross-border crime and illegal border crossings. Our neighboring countries have been facing migration attacks for years, and although such incidents have not yet been directed at Estonia’s borders, we cannot rule out that this will always remain the case. Naturally, the anti-tank ditches built by the Defence Forces would also slow down the movement of illegal border crossers, which makes them a valuable tool in preventing illegal migration.”