The Baltic states are reportedly in talks with Ukrainian companies about purchasing bomb shelters amid heightened fears of drone incursions.
Drone sightings have become an increasing security concern in Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, with several incidents in recent weeks prompting air raid alerts and NATO jets being scrambled in response.
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To address the threat, the Baltic nations are turning to Ukrainian manufacturers for advice on upgrading air defense systems and civilian protection infrastructure, US media outlet Politico reported on Monday.
A mobile bomb shelter is being installed in Odesa, Ukraine. Photo: PAP/Alena Solomonova
Ihor Fedirko, chief executive of the Ukrainian Council of Defence Industry, confirmed the discussions to Politico, saying that the Baltic states are “trying to find the best solutions against Russian aggression, if it happens, to keep their people safe.”
The Baltic countries have long been identified as potential targets of Russian aggression on NATO’s eastern flank, with their small size and concentrated populations in major urban centers making them especially vulnerable to drone attacks.
‘Tactical know-how’
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Yuriy Ryzhenkov, the CEO of major Ukrainian steel producer Metinvest, also told Politico that his company had held discussions with Baltic governments about building shelters to protect against potential drone attacks.
Following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Metinvest branched into shelter construction and now provides Ukrainian forces with both above- and below-ground shelters designed to protect against airborne attacks.
“Anyone can build a bomb shelter, but what’s valuable is the tactical know-how,” Ryzhenkov told Politico.
When asked about the talks, Estonia’s Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur told Politico that his country had long been prepared for Russian attacks and had sufficient expertise to protect its population.
A spokesperson for Lithuania’s foreign ministry said it had no information about the discussions on bomb shelters, while Latvia’s foreign minister did not respond to a request for comment.
String of incidents
The Baltic states, all strong supporters of Ukraine, have increasingly found themselves caught up in Kyiv’s long-range drone campaign against Russian targets near the Baltic Sea, with several drones reportedly straying into the airspace of Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia.
Lithuania issued an air danger alert on Wednesday, urging residents of the capital Vilnius to take shelter after a drone violated the country’s airspace.
Last week, a NATO jet shot down a stray drone over Estonian territory.
Earlier this month, Latvia’s government collapsed following a political crisis over Russian-bound Ukrainian drones flying over Latvian territory.
Kyiv has apologized for the incursions and blamed Russian jamming of guidance signals for misdirecting its drones across borders.