NATO Member Bombs Their Own Bunkers in Preparation For Possible Russian Siege

A member of NATO is bombing their own bunkers, testing how well the nation's defenses would hold up in the event of a possible Russian attack.

Lithuania, who officially joined NATO in 2004, has begun unleashing barrages of explosives against their own bunkers in Pabradė to test which materials are the most effective in sheltering soldiers, as well as to ensure that the bunkers can withstand a Russian attack, according to Lithuanian Armed Forces.

Once identified, Lithuania plans to build more strongpoints across the region, designed to house about 120 soldiers each. There, troops will be able to run defensive exercises, citing lessons learned from Ukraine's defense against Russia.

Officials plan to measure pressure, sound levels and wall vibrations inside the bunker to determine the most effective materials for defense.

In February 2024, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia announced plans to build 600 bunkers across their eastern sides in preparation for any possible attacks from Russia, as reported at the time by Breaking Defense.

Estonia's Undersecretary for Defence Readiness at the time, Susan Lilleväli, told reporters that the countries were "already halfway through [the] planning cycle, development and testing of product type bunkers."

President Donald Trump's pledge to broker a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine has so far been unsuccessful. On Tuesday, he threatened to impose 100% tariffs on any countries that do business with Russia, pressuring the country to accept a ceasefire deal, CBS News reported.

The 50-day warning was branded "unacceptable" by Russian officials in response, according to the country's state-run news agency TASS. Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said President Vladimir Putin is "ready to negotiate," but if the country cannot meet "our goals through diplomacy, then the SVO [war in Ukraine] will continue."