Estonia and Latvia launch joint tender for 600 border bunkers

Thursday 19 - 16:50

By: Dakir Madiha

Estonia and Latvia launch joint tender for 600 border bunkers

Estonia and Latvia have issued a joint public tender to procure hundreds of concrete bunkers along their borders with Russia, marking a significant escalation in Baltic fortification efforts under the Baltic Defense Line initiative.

The Estonian Centre for Defence Investments, working with Latvia’s Ministry of Defence, published the joint call this week seeking companies capable of producing large volumes of reinforced concrete bunkers. Estonia alone plans to acquire up to 600 units for deployment along its eastern frontier, while Latvia is expected to place additional orders.

The announcement builds on progress made since December 2025, when Estonia began installing its first bunkers in the municipality of Setomaa in the country’s southeast. Five bunkers were erected by the end of 2025, and 23 more are currently being installed as part of the initial phase. The remaining structures will be procured through the newly launched tender.

Asko Kivinuk, deputy director of the Estonian Centre for Defence Investments, said the first bunkers have already been delivered and are being installed gradually in southeastern and northeastern Estonia. He noted that the joint procurement with Latvia allows both countries to benefit from economies of scale and reduce overall costs.

Each bunker measures roughly 35 square meters and is designed to withstand direct hits from 152 mm artillery shells commonly used by Russian forces. The structures can accommodate up to 10 soldiers, forming part of a layered defensive network intended to reinforce national resilience.

The bunkers represent only one element of a broader defensive system that also includes 40 kilometers of anti tank ditches, dragon’s teeth concrete barriers and barbed wire obstacles. Estonia has already positioned previously acquired obstacles in forward storage areas and continues work on anti tank trench construction.

Estonia’s total budget for its segment of the Baltic Defense Line stands at €60 million, about half of which has already been spent. The project timeline experienced delays due to procurement complications. Contractors initially submitted inflated bids because the exact bunker locations were kept confidential for security reasons. Authorities addressed the issue by launching a pilot program before proceeding with the main tender.

Lithuania has separately unveiled plans for a three tier defense system stretching 50 kilometers from its borders with Russia and Belarus. Latvia recently completed a 280 kilometer fence along its frontier with Russia.

Approved by the three Baltic defense ministers in January 2024, the Baltic Defense Line aims to halt any potential military incursion at the earliest point along national borders. The Estonian Centre for Defence Investments expects the project to be completed by the end of 2027.