NATO countries plan to build a "wall of drones" to protect themselves from Russia

Six NATO nations are joining forces to build a "drone wall" on the border with Russia to protect against it.

Here's What We Know

Over the weekend, ministers from Finland, Norway, Poland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania met to discuss a coordinated system of defence against Russian provocations and smuggling attempts.

"This is a completely new thing - a drone wall stretching from Norway to Poland, and the aim is to use drones and other technologies to protect our borders," Lithuanian Interior Minister Agne Bilotaite told Baltic News Service.

Details on when the wall might be installed and how it would function remain unclear, but Bilotaite said EU funding could be used to support the project.

Estonian Interior Minister Lauri Laanemets said of the wall: "Drone surveillance and counter-drone capabilities are crucial for both deterring and countering the influence of our eastern neighbour."

It is worth noting that these decisions come after a series of Russian provocations in the Baltic region. Last week, Russia proposed to revise the maritime borders with Lithuania and Finland in the Baltic Sea. They removed about 24 out of 50 buoys marking shipping routes on the Narva River, which is the natural border between Lithuania and Russia.

The Institute for the Study of War think tank said the move "set the stage for further questioning of maritime boundaries and testing NATO's resolve".

Source: Business Insider