Ukraine’s War Survival Lessons Draw Baltic Interest in Bomb Shelters

Baltic companies have approached Ukrainian defense manufacturers and civil protection specialists about buying bomb shelters, as recent Russian drone incursions raise demand for Ukraine’s wartime expertise, Politico reported on May 25.

Ihor Fedirko, CEO and executive director of the Ukrainian Council of Defense Industry, confirmed the discussions in an interview at the GLOBSEC Forum in Prague.

"Yes, it's true," he told Politico. "They are not huge countries. They're trying to find the best solutions against the Russian aggression, if it happens."

The conversations followed a spate of drone violations of Baltic airspace. Last week, Lithuania's president and prime minister were rushed to underground bunkers, and residents of Vilnius were urged to take shelter after a drone was detected near the country's border with Belarus.

The Lithuanian Ministry of Defense confirmed that NATO's Baltic air-policing mission had been activated. Military authorities described the incident as "similar to what we have been seeing in recent days in Latvia and Estonia."

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One Ukrainian firm now in early-stage talks with Baltic governments is Metinvest, a major Ukrainian steel producer. The company expanded into shelter construction after Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022, initially building civilian facilities before moving to equip frontline positions with above- and below-ground structures designed to withstand missiles and drones.

CEO Yuriy Ryzhenkov told Politico: "Anyone can build a bomb shelter, but what's valuable is the tactical know-how."

Estonia's Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur told Politico that his country had long been prepared for Russian attacks and had sufficient expertise to protect its people.

A Lithuanian foreign ministry spokesperson described experience gained in Ukraine as "highly valuable for strengthening preparedness in Lithuania" and confirmed that Lithuania was also helping to build shelters in Ukraine through an EU program.

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Fedirko warned that Russia now launches more than 700 to 800 drones in a single night—a pace he described as a potential "disaster" for smaller nations.

The shelter push reflects a broader Ukrainian effort to extend battlefield knowledge to NATO's eastern flank. Earlier in May, Kyiv indicated it was considering dispatching military and technical specialists to the Baltic states following a series of drone incidents near NATO borders.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha announced that Ukrainian agencies were already exchanging information with Baltic counterparts on the circumstances surrounding recent airspace violations.

Kyiv was also weighing the deployment of expert groups to directly assist with regional airspace security.

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