Ukrainian border guards and engineers in the Chernihiv region are building a layered defense system along the border with Belarus. It consists of wire entanglements and so-called “dragon’s teeth” – concrete barriers weighing about 1.5 tons each and roughly ten meters wide. They are designed to block potential attack routes for armored vehicles.
Behind the concrete barriers lie deep anti-tank ditches with steep walls, dug by excavators into the heavy, waterlogged soil. There are also nearly invisible obstacles: thin, tear-resistant wires strung low between trees, and rolls of reinforced barbed wire of the “Egoza” brand. The commander of the border post, Yevhen with the call sign “Nissan,” told Ukrinform: “The engineering obstacles consist of a combination of artificial and natural barriers.”
The natural obstacles take advantage of the region’s dense forests and swamps. “We use nature as an ally,” Nissan said. A tree can be felled so that it hangs at a certain angle, significantly hindering the movement of vehicles and infantry. The dense vegetation also complicates enemy aerial reconnaissance, while heavy off-road vehicles get stuck in the swamps.
The expansion of the defensive line has been ongoing since the Russian offensive in 2022. “Compared to the first months after liberation, the volume has increased by about 500 percent,” Nissan said. “It is a continuous, layered system that stretches for kilometers along all our land borders.” One excavator can dig up to 200 meters of anti-tank ditch per day, and two soldiers can lay about 100 meters of barbed wire in four hours. On average, a unit prepares about 500 meters of reliable barriers daily.
Local authorities and communities support the work with coordination and machinery. “The locals are our eyes and ears,” Nissan said. They report suspicious observations immediately. The biggest challenge, however, is the weather: in winter, with temperatures down to minus 30 degrees Celsius, construction becomes a real test. The obstacles are not meant to destroy the enemy but to slow them down. “If the enemy has to stop and waste valuable time, that time works in our favor,” the commander explained. This creates ideal targets for artillery or other weapons.
Source: www.kyivpost.com
