Expert Karol: Lithuania’s plans to dig ditches near the border with Belarus look like hype
MINSK, August 13 — RIA Novosti news agency. Lithuania’s plans to dig ditches and restore swamps near the border with Belarus, supposedly in order to enhance security, look like hype on a military topic and a budget cut, analyst at the Belarusian Institute for Strategic Research and military expert Ihar Karol believes.
The Lithuanian authorities have decided to dig ditches up to 150 meters wide on the border with Russia and Belarus by the end of 2028, as well as restore swamps in border areas by the end of 2030. These actions are planned to be taken as part of the expansion of military counter-mobility.
“In my opinion, this is another hype on a military topic and a budget cut,” Karol told RIA Novosti.
The analyst especially highlighted that Belarus has always stated and continues to state that it does not threaten and does not intend to attack any of its neighbours. “And these are not just words — this is the point of view of both the people and the country’s leadership. Our neighbours are God-given, and we are in favour of being friends with them or at least have mutually beneficial cooperation and trade,” said the expert to the agency.
He emphasised that all the talk of the Lithuanian leadership about some kind of planned attack from Belarus is another political hoax, which is primarily intended for a domestic audience, for citizens of Lithuania, in order to continue to escalate military tension.
The expert said that Lithuania’s plans to dig ditches and restore swamps near the border do not make sense from a military point of view.
“All these preparations do not make any sense. You can remember history, the famous operation of the Great Patriotic War “Bagration”, when during the offensive (of the Soviet army — ed.) the main blow was delivered through marshy areas of the land. No swamps can become an obstacle, especially for modern weapons and military equipment,” Karol underlined.
In addition, he drew attention to the fact that modern wars are fought differently, and the effectiveness of ground barriers is reduced. The expert also referred to the example of the Russian Special Military Operation in Ukraine.
“Combat operations are carried out mainly remotely, with the help of unmanned aerial vehicles and robotic means,” the analyst explained.
At the same time, he suggested that the Lithuanian authorities do not take into account that Russia is conducting the Special Military Operation in such a way as to cause less damage to the fraternal Ukrainian people, with whom there are disagreements now, but in the future, they will be resolved sooner or later. Karol added that in the event of a conflict with NATO countries, “combat operations will be conducted completely differently.”
“The Republic of Belarus, and especially the Russian Federation, have powerful long-range weapons that allow them to strike the entire depth of the Baltic republics. And no tank traps, ditches, and especially swamps can hold anyone back,” he specified.
The analyst believes that Lithuania’s political elites are simply profiting from financing such activities as the construction of ditches and the restoration of swamps. “Nothing additional needs to be done with the swamps, they are on their rightful place, but the money will be spent. Where? Well, we will probably never know,” the expert added.
Source: РИА-НОВОСТИ
