The Baltics fortify against drones with Ukrainian shelters: battlefield expertise transfer
The recent rise in airspace incursions over Baltic states has increased interest in the experience gained by Ukraine during its war with Moscow.
The Baltic states are seeking to leverage Ukrainian expertise in bomb shelters as drones drifting from the Ukrainian battlefield increasingly enter the airspace of the European Union, according to Politico.
Ihor Fedirko, head of one of Ukraine’s leading defence industry groups, said that Baltic companies have recently contacted Ukrainian defence manufacturers and civil protection experts to discuss the purchase of bomb shelters.
He added: “These are not large countries. They are trying to find the best solutions to deal with a potential Russian attack, in order to keep their populations safe and secure.”
Last week, Lithuania’s president and prime minister were urgently moved to underground shelters, while residents of Vilnius were instructed to take cover after a drone violated the country’s airspace.
The Lithuanian Defence Ministry said the drone was detected near the Belarusian border and confirmed that a NATO airspace monitoring mission for the Baltic states had been activated.
Military authorities also stated that the incident was “similar to what we have seen in recent days in Latvia and Estonia.”
Growing concern
Discussions about bomb shelters reflect growing concern along NATO’s eastern flank over the scale and intensity of Russia’s drone campaign against Ukraine, as well as fears that even a limited incursion or spillover attack could overwhelm defences in the early stages of a conflict.
Estonian Defence Minister Hanno Pevkur told Politico that his country has long been prepared for potential Russian attacks and possesses sufficient experience to protect its population.
A spokesperson for the Lithuanian Foreign Ministry said they were not aware of discussions on bomb shelters, but stressed that “the experience gained in Ukraine is extremely valuable for strengthening preparedness in Lithuania” and has helped transfer “practical knowledge and improve our capabilities… to strengthen civil protection systems and resilience.”
Amid heightened alert, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Defence Commissioner Andrius Kubilius are traveling to Lithuania on Tuesday for a meeting with Prime Minister Inga Ruginienė and other Baltic leaders.
The role of the steel industry
Meanwhile, Yuriy Ryzhenkov, head of Ukrainian steel giant Metinvest, said his company has held preliminary talks with Baltic governments on building shelters to protect against potential drone attacks.
The steel group entered the shelter construction field after the outbreak of the war in February 2022.
Originally focused on civilian shelters, Metinvest now supplies both above-ground and underground protective structures to Ukrainian frontline sites to defend against missile and drone strikes.
The recent increase in drone incursions into the Baltic states has strengthened interest in Ukrainian expertise.
In this context, Ryzhenkov said: “Anyone can build a bomb shelter, but what matters is tactical knowledge.”
Russia is increasingly overwhelming Ukrainian air defences with waves of drones and missiles, launching hundreds of Shahed-type drones alongside ballistic and cruise missiles.
Baltic officials fear that their small geographic size and dense urban population concentration leave very little margin for error in the event of a large-scale attack.
Growing concern has also spread to Baltic real estate markets. In Vilnius, basement properties and fortified underground spaces have appeared in property listings following Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, being marketed as potential shelters in case of bombardment or drone attacks in the region.
