Baltic states plan to create a ‘wall of drones’

25 May, 2024 A drone flying over Lithuania. May 2024. Photo credits: Lithuanian Ministry of National Defence

The Baltic states have agreed to create a 'drone wall' to protect themselves from Russia. Agne Bilotaite, Minister of the Interior of Lithuania, announced this. This happened during a meeting, at which the ministers of the Baltic States, as well as Poland, Ukraine, Finland and Norway, discussed the need to further strengthen civilian security, including through new technologies.

During the discussions, it was decided that the borders with Russia and Belarus needed additional protection. According to Bilotaite, the 'wall of drones' will allow for aerial surveillance of the external borders with these countries amid "constant efforts by the Russian and Belarusian regimes to destabilize internal security and social order."

A meeting of ministers. Photo credits: Agne Bilotaite

"This is a completely new thing - a drone wall stretching from Norway to Poland - and the goal is to use drones and other technologies to protect our borders [...] against provocations from unfriendly countries and to prevent smuggling," said Agne Bilotaite.

According to the Minister, such a measure will be an important element in ensuring overall regional stability. To create such a 'drone wall,' countries will use UAVs to monitor border areas, as well as counter-drone systems to stop drones from hostile countries that are used for smuggling and provocation. The ministers of Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Poland, Ukraine, Finland, and Norway met for the second time, the previous meeting was held in Vilnius in 2023 at the initiative of Bilotaite.

According to Bilotaite, Lithuania has already developed plans to strengthen the protection of its border with the help of drones.

A drone flying over Lithuania. May 2024. Photo credits: Lithuanian Ministry of National Defence

The Lithuanian State Border Guard Service emphasized that it had recently established a UAV unit and was in the process of acquiring additional drones and counter-drone systems.

As previously reported, the Russian authorities decided to expand the country's territorial waters in the Baltic Sea along with the border with Lithuania and Finland.