Estonia builds new fence on Russian border

VÕRU, Estonia — Estonia is shoring up its border with Russia, this week completing a 40-kilometer fence along its southern frontier with its giant neighbor.

"Our ambition is a high-tech modern border infrastructure," Estonian Interior Minister Lauri Läänemets told POLITICO during Tuesday’s inauguration ceremony, adding that once it’s finished in 2025, "the EU’s eastern frontier running along the Estonian border should be equipped with the most advanced security and drone surveillance systems."

Estonia wants to beef up its border security as worries grow about Russia’s unfriendly actions toward other EU countries. Finland shut its border crossings after accusing Russia of driving migrants and asylum seekers to the frontier to sow discord as payback for the Nordic country’s joining the NATO military alliance. Two of those crossings are now being reopened, but Helsinki is still wary that Moscow will try to weaponize migrant flows.

Russia’s ally Belarus has used migrants in a similar way against Lithuania and Poland — both of which have built border fences in response.

Estonia wants to ensure that nothing like that happens along its border with Russia.

"We don’t have any escalated pressure. But of course we are ready should it happen," Läänemets said standing near the fence overlooking Russian territory, with only forests and snow in sight.

"Covering almost 340 kilometers of border is not an easy undertaking, whether it’s mainland fence infrastructure or surveillance systems on the water. Estonia has applied for EU funding to develop capabilities such as drone surveillance and radar monitoring positions on lakes and rivers, but so far our needs have not met the criteria or been prioritized," he said.

Despite the aid application, the Commission hasn’t kicked in any funding.

Estonia’s application for Border Management and Visa funding was rejected last month, according to a European official with knowledge of the situation. The funding is granted to countries with the most significant migration pressure, the official said, adding that the European Commission has not responded to Tallinn’s request for an explanation.

The Commission did not respond to repeated requests for comment.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has already forced Tallinn to tighten border procedures. Tourists are now banned, although trucks and commercial vehicles are still permitted.