Authorities in Estonia have installed “massive metal gates” on the Friendship Bridge connecting the city of Narva to Russia’s Ivangorod, blocking the vehicle lane at the border crossing, Estonian public broadcaster ERR reported on Sunday.
They also reportedly plan to install retractable metal barriers, which would be able to completely block vehicle access to and from the border checkpoint.
The pedestrian section of the bridge remains open for now, but gates are set to be installed there as well.
“This is primarily about improving the security of the border checkpoint,” said Antti Eensalu, head of the Narva border checkpoint.
About five years ago, there was an incident where a car coming from the Russian side broke through the existing barriers. Installing new barriers will help prevent unauthorized crossings. The gates will also make it easier to control the situation on the bridge — for example, in the event of a migrant influx.