Lithuania has begun mining bridges on the border with Russia: details of the defense strategy.

According to ТСН: Lithuania is actively working to strengthen its borders with Russia and Belarus. Local residents have noticed that construction works have started on bridges in border areas. The country's armed forces have confirmed that this is part of the preparations for creating the 'Baltic Defense Line'.

The military reported that the main crossings will be equipped with special engineering structures that will allow for quick installation of explosive substances. The main goal of such measures is to rapidly destroy the bridges in the event of armed conflict and halt or significantly slow down the advance of the enemy's heavy equipment.

The sites for mining are chosen deliberately. The Armed Forces of Lithuania emphasized that they take into account the location of natural obstacles (rivers, swamps) and the strategic importance of roads for the national defense system.

Work on creating echeloned defense

In addition to preparing the bridges, Lithuania has commenced large-scale work on creating echeloned defense:

• Tens of storage points for anti-tank hedgehogs and other barriers have been established near the border.

• Irrigation channels are being deepened, which will serve as anti-tank ditches.

• Strips of trees are being planted to mask and protect key highways.

These actions are part of agreements reached by the Baltic states back in July last year regarding the establishment of a joint line of defense.

Lithuania's policy resonates with Finland's approach, which has over 1300 km of shared border with Russia. Finnish President Alexander Stubb previously called on European countries to talk less and act more.

'We must prepare for the NATO Article 5 test by Russia, although this is extremely unlikely. We need to prepare for the worst to avoid it,'

At the same time, military experts urge not to panic. The Commander of the Estonian Armed Forces, Andrus Merilo, called 'military hysteria' counterproductive, emphasizing that rational preparation is more effective than fear.

In Lithuania, it is acknowledged that it is difficult to speak about danger in peacetime. Representatives of the Department of Civil Protection state that this topic needs to be raised, although it is not easy.

'The threat from Russia remains unchanged in the long term. Constant readiness is of great importance: the more intense the preparation, the higher the probability of effective deterrence,'

According to CNN, leading military experts at a closed conference in London warned that the West is catastrophically unprepared for a possible direct conflict with Russia. Intelligence estimates suggest that Moscow may be preparing for war with NATO as early as 2027–2029, while hybrid attacks from Russia – diversions, drones, and GPS jamming – are already ongoing.

Analysts point out that European defense plans do not correspond to actual capabilities, and the time for preparation is limited to just a few years.