Latvia is entering the final stretch of a multi-year effort to build a physical fence along its land border with Russia, with only around six kilometres still to be constructed in some of the most difficult terrain. According to the State Real Estate agency (Valsts nekustamie īpašumi, VNĪ), these remaining sections are located in swampy, hard-to-reach areas and are planned to be completed by the end of 2025. The fence is one of the central elements in Latvia’s wider strategy to reinforce its external EU and NATO border in the face of mounting security and migration challenges.
The Latvian-Russian border runs for 283.6 kilometres. By the end of last year, construction had already been finished on priority stretches totalling about 250 kilometres, including 99 kilometres previously built by the construction company SIA Igate. Under VNĪ’s coordination, work then shifted to more complex segments: approximately 28.35 kilometres of fence in wetlands and remote areas, the construction of 15 kilometres of pontoon roads to provide access for border guards and maintenance crews, and the rectification of deficiencies identified in fence sections erected in previous stages.
In line with priorities set by the State Border Guard and the government, VNĪ has now launched what it describes as the final stage of building infrastructure essential for protecting Latvia’s external land border in the most sensitive zones. This phase covers roughly 41.26 kilometres along the Latvian-Russian frontier and goes beyond the fence itself. It includes access routes, patrol infrastructure and technical improvements that allow the border authorities to monitor and respond to incidents more effectively.
To deliver this work, VNĪ has concluded nine contracts with three construction companies: the state road maintenance firm Latvijas Autoceļu uzturētājs, the consortium “Ramda C-MIKOR” and SIA Citrus Solutions. The contracts, awarded through an open price survey procedure, have a combined value of 17.9 million euros including VAT. Design work on nine separate sections is currently underway, with the design phase scheduled for completion in spring 2026. According to the approved timetable, most construction should be finished by the end of 2026, while a small number of sections totalling less than 12 kilometres may be completed by the end of 2027.
The Latvian-Russian fence project runs in parallel with similar efforts on the country’s border with Belarus. There, physical fence construction under VNĪ’s leadership was formally completed in July 2024, covering just under 145 kilometres. Work is still ongoing on the necessary infrastructure along the Daugava river segment, where a fence is not planned due to the natural barrier formed by the waterway. Those remaining tasks are expected to be finalised by spring 2026.
Taken together, the projects on the Russian and Belarusian borders mark a profound transformation of Latvia’s frontier management. For years, the country relied largely on patrols, natural obstacles and limited physical barriers. The construction of hundreds of kilometres of fence, combined with access roads, technical systems and modernised facilities, is turning the border into a far more controlled and predictable environment for Latvian authorities. This is particularly important against the backdrop of hybrid pressure involving irregular crossings and other forms of provocation, where gaps in infrastructure can quickly be exploited.
The fact that the final six kilometres of the Russian border fence are in swampy, hard-to-reach locations highlights both the technical challenges and the determination to close off even the most difficult stretches. Building in such terrain requires specialised solutions, including pontoon roads and careful environmental planning, which inevitably slows progress and raises costs compared with construction on dry, accessible ground. VNĪ’s phased approach – first completing the easier, high-priority sections, then gradually advancing into wetlands – reflects an attempt to balance urgency, practicality and budget discipline.
From a broader regional perspective, Latvia’s border projects fit into a pattern of reinforced external frontiers across the Baltic states and Eastern Europe. While the physical fence is only one component of a wider security architecture that also includes surveillance technology, additional personnel and international cooperation, it carries strong symbolic and practical weight. A continuous barrier makes large-scale, uncontrolled crossings more difficult and channels traffic through official checkpoints, where it can be monitored and regulated.
As Latvia approaches the nominal completion of the fence itself on the Russian border by the end of 2025, attention will increasingly shift to how effectively the new infrastructure is used and maintained. The subsequent phases, stretching into 2026 and 2027, will be critical for integrating the fence with roads, patrol routes and technical surveillance systems. Only once that broader package is in place will the full impact of the investment be felt on the ground.
For now, the message from Riga is clear: the era of largely open, lightly equipped eastern land borders is ending. Even if the last kilometres run through swamps and forest, they are no longer being treated as peripheral. Instead, they are becoming part of a continuous, hardened line that defines not just Latvia’s territorial boundary, but also one of the key frontiers of the European Union and NATO.
