Estonia completes two more sections of eastern border

Estonia has completed two more sections of its land border with Russia in southeastern Estonia, Interior Minister Igor Taro of Eesti 200 said on Friday, ERR reported.

The new sections between the Koidula road border crossing and Saatse are 26 kilometres long in total. A 14-kilometre stretch is covered by a border fence, while the remainder is equipped with 30-metre surveillance masts.

The construction cost 12 million euros and was co-financed by the European Union, the Interior Ministry said in a press release.

The land border is now 80 percent covered by infrastructure, Taro said. When two further sections with a combined length of 20 kilometres are completed at the end of the year, the figure will reach 90 percent.

The final 14 kilometres of the land border require a separate decision, according to Taro. The stretch was not originally planned for construction because its bogs and wetlands are natural obstacles. However, considering the current migration pressure, Taro said it should also be built.

That work would require 18 million euros, including 14.5 million euros for infrastructure and 3.5 million euros for surveillance equipment. The project would leave no uncovered sections along Estonia’s land border, he said.

Taro said the next major step would be to equip the completed sections with drone surveillance capabilities. The first stationary drone detection and surveillance devices were installed this summer on three sections between the Estonia Latvia Russia tripoint and Luhamaa. The remaining land border will receive the equipment during the year.

Taro received an overview in southeastern Estonia of the eastern border construction and the installation of surveillance systems. The Police and Border Guard Board has ongoing procurements for surveillance equipment for the next sections, while construction and preparatory work is proceeding as planned or ahead of schedule.

The contractor has promised to complete sections 9 and 10 between Koidula and Saatse by the end of the year. The Interior Ministry said European Union co-financing was helping complete the eastern border construction and improve drone surveillance capabilities.