Latvia expands Baltic defence line with thousands of dragon’s teeth

Construction of the Baltic defence line is expanding along Latvia’s eastern border, with thousands of concrete anti-tank obstacles and trenches being prepared, LSM reported.

Latvia’s National Armed Forces said the obstacles near the border are only one part of a broader defence system that will also include the ability to lay mines, indirect-fire support, sensors and assistance for the border guard. The country has initially allocated 303 million euros for border reinforcement over five years.

Hundreds of reinforced-concrete obstacles are currently being stored at the former Zaiceva airfield in Aluksne Municipality before being gradually transported closer to the state border.

“These obstacles are installed in open areas that would otherwise be easy for tracked and wheeled vehicles to cross. When rows of dragon’s teeth are combined with an anti-tank ditch, enemy vehicles cannot physically overcome them without specialised engineering equipment,” said Sergeant Adolf Grins, a representative of the Engineer Company of the National Guard’s 2nd Vidzeme Brigade.

Latvia’s borders with Russia and Belarus are more than 450 kilometres long, but the concrete obstacles will not be installed continuously along the entire border. They will be concentrated in places where the terrain would allow heavy equipment to move.

Production of the obstacles began in August. Since September, anti-tank ditches have been actively dug and dragon’s teeth installed in border areas.

“A total of 13,000 dragon’s teeth need to be produced, and 7,500 have already been made. On average, one dragon’s tooth is produced and delivered every one and a half minutes,” said Dace Plotniece, head of the foreign and border projects division at VNĪ.

Balvu Municipality is currently the most active work area. About two kilometres of ditches have been dug there, along with approximately one kilometre of dragon’s teeth being installed, Plotniece said.

The defence infrastructure is not limited to the immediate border. Some mobility and counter-mobility measures may also be built deeper inside the country, requiring the use of municipal and private land.

Private land will also be used under an established procedure. Owners will be informed in advance that their land will be used and that vehicles will move across it, while the necessary approvals will be obtained. There is also a procedure for recording possible damage caused by moving across the property and carrying out the required work.