The Lithuanian Ministry of Defense is exploring the option of reinforcing the border with Russia and Belarus through mining.

Dovilė Šakalienė, Lithuania’s Minister of Defense, announced this.

The proposed mining would serve as an additional layer of defense within the country’s mobility strategy, aimed at providing longer-term deterrence against potential threats.

The Minister notes that the mining will involve the use of both anti-personnel and anti-tank mines, based on the Polish example of the northeastern flank rampart.

Additionally, the country is discussing a joint reinforcement of the border line, stretching from Finland to Poland, where a defensive line will be established with a significant number of fortifications, bunkers, defensive structures, and corresponding bases.

“During these meetings, a discussion was initiated on updating and expanding the counter-mobility concept. Drawing from the Polish example, the border on the northeastern flank could be reinforced with multilayered defensive structures, including, but not limited to, anti-personnel and anti-tank mines,” the Minister stated.

Previously, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, and Poland, in a joint document sent to the European Commission, provided details on strengthening NATO’s eastern flank.

The document also contains an estimate of the cost of this large-scale project, which, according to the four countries, will amount to €10 billion. The initiative will require additional investments from other European countries.

In addition, the document states that strengthening the defense line will affect the update of the White Paper on European Defense, emphasizing the need to actively prepare for a potential military conflict with Russia and Belarus.

The €10 billion includes not only the construction of border fortifications and military bases but also the purchase of weapons and the creation of infrastructure to strengthen the 1,340-kilometer border from Finland to the Baltic States and Poland.

Militarnyi previously reported that Lithuania officially withdrew from the international convention that prohibits the purchase, use, and production of cluster munitions.

Lithuanian officials justified the move by pointing to Russia’s use of such munitions and the need to employ all available means for defense.