Latvia erects dragon's teeth on Russian border amid rising tensions

Latvia has commenced the installation of defensive barriers on its border with Russia. In a short video shared online, one can observe "dragon's teeth." We explain what they are designed to protect against.

Anton Gerashchenko, a former advisor at the Ukrainian Ministry of Internal Affairs, posted a video from the Latvian-Russian border on his profile on the X platform. The brief description shows that it was recorded near Zilupe, a small town in eastern Latvia.

"Dragon's teeth" refer to distinctively shaped concrete or reinforced concrete pyramids. They have been known and used for years. They were first utilised during World War II, and more recently, they have been used during the war in Ukraine, where both sides of the conflict secured key positions and cities using them.

The installation of fortifications containing "dragon's teeth" requires the use of heavy equipment. Each single element (typically measuring up to approximately 120 cm in height) is very heavy, which, combined with its shape and considerable accumulation in a given area (in rows), allows for the creation of fortifications intended to stop enemy units. "Dragon's teeth" are a significant obstacle for tanks. Sometimes, additional protections like mines may accompany them.

Anton Gerashchenko referred in his post to information from a few weeks ago, according to which Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia called on the European Union to build a 700-kilometre-long defensive line along the border with Russia and Belarus. This would better protect the entire European Union from military threats and provocations from Moscow.