Latvia completes a 93-km section of fence on Russian border

Latvia has finished the construction of a 93-km barbed wire fence on the borders with Russia.

The fence was realized in order to address illegal migration. It is part of a bigger project which involves the construction of border infrastructure along the Latvian-Russian border. The project initiated in 2015 and is expected to be finished in 2020. The total length of the wire fence along the borders of Latvia and Russia is expected to be approximately 284 km.

The barrier is 2.7-meter-tall and topped with a barbed wire. It is constructed in strategic sections of the border, where the possibility of illegal passing is higher.

The project will also incorporate the construction of wooden footbridges, patrol paths and water pipes. Its total cost is expected to reach 21,168 million €.

Additional analysis suggest that another 100 km of fence should be erected along the border to mitigate trespassing at a cost of 5,6 million €. However, the government of Latvia has not approved the fund yet.

Another Baltic Sea country, Lithuania, recently constructed a fence along its borders with Russia in order to address illegal migration. A 45-km fence stretches along the accessible regions of the border. At the same time, a 109-km river section is under surveillance by security systems.