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Estonia Builds 1,000-Troop Military Base Near Russia’s Border—Price Tag Rises to $23 Million
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Estonia’s planned military base in the eastern border city of Narva will cost just over €20 million (around $23 million) and is now expected to be completed in summer 2028, six months later than originally planned, according to ERR on September 25.
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The project’s estimated cost has increased by €5 million (almost $6 million), while political instability within Narva’s municipal government delayed the allocation of land needed for construction.
“The previous situation in Narva politics and the city's administration prevented us from moving forward with the development of the base. I won't comment on all of it here, but until that decision was made, the process was effectively at a standstill. That's where we lost the time,” said Ando Voogma, northern and northeastern regional manager at the Estonian Centre for Defence Investments, according to ERR.
The base is being financed largely with European Union funds. Of the project’s total cost, approximately €19 million (about $22 million) is expected to come from the EU Cohesion Fund.
Land-related issues have now been resolved, allowing the construction contract to potentially be signed as early as October. However, major construction work is not expected to begin until next year.
A temporary base will accommodate a company-sized unit while construction of the permanent facility is underway. Once completed, the new base will have indoor accommodation for up to 500 personnel, as well as tent capacity for an additional 500.
Around 200 military personnel are expected to be permanently stationed at the base after it becomes operational.
The project comes as Baltic states continue to strengthen critical infrastructure and defense facilities near their borders with Russia. In neighboring Lithuania, authorities are introducing additional security measures at a planned power substation near Russia’s Kaliningrad region to protect it against potential drone attacks and sabotage.
The future Gizai substation, located about 30 kilometers west of Kaliningrad, will feature reinforced barriers designed to withstand a vehicle carrying explosives, sensors capable of detecting potential underground tunneling, and concrete structures intended to protect transformers from drone strikes.
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