Baltic states look to Ukraine for bomb shelter expertise amid rising drone threats

Increasing drone incursions into Baltic airspace have prompted Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania to seek advice from Ukraine, which has gained extensive experience in civilian shelter planning after more than four years of war with Russia. Ukraine's hard-won knowledge on building and maintaining bomb shelters is now being studied as a model for Baltic civil defence preparations.

Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania are turning to Ukraine for guidance on building and managing bomb shelters, as a growing number of drone incursions into Baltic airspace has sharpened fears about civilian vulnerability in the region. Ukraine, now in its fifth year of full-scale war with Russia, has developed extensive practical expertise in protecting civilian populations from aerial bombardment — experience that Baltic officials are eager to absorb.

## Lessons forged in war

Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022, Ukrainian cities have endured relentless missile and drone strikes, forcing authorities to develop and refine a nationwide network of shelters. From repurposed metro stations in Kyiv to fortified basement spaces in apartment blocks, Ukraine has tested what works and what fails under real wartime conditions — knowledge that no Baltic country has yet had to acquire the hard way.

Baltic defence planners and civil protection authorities have been consulting their Ukrainian counterparts as part of a broader effort to strengthen civilian resilience. The consultations cover technical standards for shelter construction, maintenance protocols, public alert systems, and how to ensure adequate capacity for urban populations in the event of an air attack.

## Drone incursions fuel urgency

The renewed push for shelter readiness comes against a backdrop of escalating drone activity near and within Baltic borders. Several recent incidents involving unidentified drones entering the airspace of NATO member states in the region have alarmed governments and military planners alike, accelerating timelines for civil defence upgrades that had previously moved slowly.

Ukraine's experience is seen as uniquely relevant because it combines the scale of a European country facing a technologically advanced adversary with hard data gathered under actual attack conditions. Baltic officials view the collaboration not merely as precautionary planning but as an urgent adaptation to a threat environment that has shifted dramatically since 2022.