Baltic states are increasingly turning to Ukraine for expertise in bomb shelters and civilian protection as concerns grow over Russian drone activity near NATO territory, Politico reported.
The interest follows several recent drone incursions into Baltic airspace, including an incident in Lithuania last week that prompted authorities to activate NATO’s Baltic air-policing mission and urge residents in Vilnius to seek shelter.
According to Politico, Ukrainian defense industry representatives say Baltic companies and officials have recently approached them to discuss shelter construction and wartime preparedness.
“They’re trying to find the best solutions against the Russian aggression, if it will happen,” Ihor Fedirko, head of the Ukrainian Council of Defence Industry, told Politico during the GLOBSEC Forum in Prague on 21–23 May.
Rising Russian threat drives shelter discussions
The Baltic states – Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia – have repeatedly warned that Russia poses a direct long-term security threat to the region following Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Baltic leaders and intelligence agencies have for years cautioned that Russia’s increasingly aggressive and imperialist policies could eventually extend beyond Ukraine, particularly against countries on NATO’s eastern flank.
Russian officials and state media have also repeatedly used hostile rhetoric toward the Baltic countries, framing them as part of Russia’s broader strategic sphere and justifying confrontational policies toward the region.
Drone incursions and wartime lessons from Ukraine
Lithuanian authorities described last week’s drone incident as similar to recent cases in Latvia and Estonia. The drone was detected near the Belarusian border, Lithuania’s Defense Ministry said.
The discussions come as Russia continues large-scale aerial attacks against Ukraine using Shahed-type drones alongside cruise and ballistic missiles. Years of adapting to these attacks have created practical expertise in civilian protection infrastructure.
Ukrainian industry enters civil defense talks
Metinvest, one of Ukraine’s largest steel producers, told Politico it has held preliminary talks with Baltic governments about shelter construction. The company began producing civilian shelters after the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022 and later expanded to military fortifications used near the front line.
“Anyone can build a bomb shelter, but what’s valuable is the tactical know-how,” Metinvest CEO Yuriy Ryzhenkov told the outlet.
Baltic preparedness efforts expand
Lithuania’s Foreign Ministry said experience gained in Ukraine is helping strengthen the country’s civil protection and preparedness systems, according to Politico.
The outlet also reported that concerns over possible future attacks have influenced Baltic real estate markets, where underground and basement spaces have increasingly been marketed as potential shelters since 2022.
European intelligence agencies and NATO officials have repeatedly warned that Russia could pose a broader military threat to the alliance in the coming years, prompting eastern flank countries to expand defense planning and civil preparedness measures.
