How Russia's Baltic neighbors are trying to strengthen their defense capabilities | DW News

three years into Russia's war against Ukraine moscow's Baltic neighbors are trying to prepare for the Potential Threat of War on their own soil lvia Lithuania and Estonia are constructing the so-called Baltic defense line to ward off a Russian attack DW correspondent Yuri retto went to the lavian border and near the town of Cara to find out how the Border region is strengthening its defense capabilities can these concrete blocks stop Russian tanks that's the job for so-called Dragon Teeth near Latvia's border with Russia they're part of the Baltic defense line a major project shared by lvia Lithuania and Estonia against the Potential Threat from neighboring Russia we must by no means underestimate the imperialist attitude and the level of aggressiveness in our neighboring country don't want to make any assumptions here about what someone on the other side of the Border might be up to but we must strengthen our armed forces and our defense capabilities with our partners without fear or Panic the defense line goes beyond Dragon's Teeth it also includes underground bunkers storage for landmines near the border and securing supply routes few people in the Baltic states expect an imminent Russian attack but traces of the Soviet past are still visible in Ria and many latvians are suspicious of their former occupiers Today 33 years after the fall of the Soviet Union and 2 and a half years since Russia's fullscale invasion of Ukraine defending their independence is more important to lvans than ever I think it's necessary I'm glad that it's finally been decided the fact that the external border is being strengthened is very good I think it's an unnecessary waste of money because it's useless from a military point of view I don't think Russia would attack lvia I think lvia is of no interest to Russia strengthening the Border also serves another purpose the fight against irregular migration one of the ways that Russia and neighboring Belarus are waging a so-called hybrid war against the West thousands of migrants have been trying to enter Europe illegally via the Baltic states authorities say they pose a threat to the eternal security of the EU new border installations such as this recently constructed fence are meant to keep the them out a border fence like this is a real deterrent you can't easily climb it so the migrants look for a place where there is no fence or they damage the fence and leave traces behind the Border guards notice this and immediately start looking for the perpetrators ultimately the Baltic defense line is intended to stop or at least slow down a possible Russian Invasion an important part of a large scale NATO defense project in response to the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine DW's Yuri Reta joins us now from R Yuri how effective will this Baltic defense line really be well at least it that is what is supposed to be effective uh but no one can Sayad we and if so how the potential attack uh on the Baltic states could really go um we remember how quickly the Russians the Russian army captured large areas of Ukraine in the first days of the war in 2022 uh the war and still are no border fortifications no installations between Russia and Ukraine there is a so-called green border the same was the case in the Baltic states until recently so until recently there was not even a fence on the border with Russia neither in Lithuania nor here in latva or Estonia that is changing um and in addition to that various other installations fortifications are planned bunker storage facilities for landmines to physically prevent the enemy from advancing quickly but the Baltic defense line is not the only measure uh because the war is not only fought with tanks uh Baltic countries do a lot to protect themselves from for example from Russian spies uh or to counter Russian propaganda and disinformation and so on and so on now Baltic countries have been warning of Russian aggression since the annexation of Crimea in 2014 but mainly were ignored for years until the War Began are they finally being heard yeah the Baltic states have always said that the war didn't start in 2022 but in 2014 namely the war in donbas after the annexation of Crimea which wasn't taken seriously enough in the west um that has changed uh the three Baltic states in the East are being heard now uh it's no surprise that the Baltic states are also among the countries that support Ukraine the most in relation to their GDP uh all three states have signed bilateral agreements with k for the next 10 years uh for military and economic support uh then Baltic states are among the strongest supporters of the Russ of the sanctions against Russia uh they are demanding for example that the sanctions remain in force even after the Russians have withdrawn from Ukraine one day and all of this is supported by the population here people here are donating a lot to Ukraine in Lithuania for example people donated money for combat drones for city buses here in lvia people donate used cars to send to Ukraine and so on and so on talking about uh average people um not all lvans in your report for example are seem to be convinced by the Baltic defense line what's the mood like in the Baltic countries uh that's true um hardly anyone here is afraid of the Russians will inv suit soon um I've heard I've never heard something similar in in the in the two and a half years I've been living here uh people don't think about the war the same is true of Germany for example but uh uh in contrast to Germany the bolts have a very different relationship with Russia because for many here uh the Russians were clearly occupiers and not for everyone of course because tens of thousands of Russians were relocated to these countries in Soviet times and they uh still leave today here most of them peacefully and without problems together with the Lans uh in normal life I will feel zero tensions uh between the two uh peoples uh for security authorities however many of these Russians living here by the way with Russian passports are a security risk Yuri rate their reporting from Ria thank you Yuri