On November 7, materials presented by the Ministry of Defense to the Saeima Defense, Internal Affairs and Corruption Prevention Committee show that 600 VAD soldiers will also be deployed to “Mežaine” as regards VAD infrastructure and planned capacity after 2025, while 550 will be deployed to Lūznava and 150 Alūksne bases.
The Ministry said that currently soldiers and national guardsmen are staying at the base “Mežaine” (former Soviet army site Skrunda locator) for training time and there is no heating and water in accessible premises. It is planned that former barracks buildings, a gym, and a canteen will be renovated in the next few years.
Although the planned capacity after 2025 will be 600 VAD soldiers at this base, the total number of deployed soldiers will be higher, as the base will also be staffed by officers and instructors who will train VAD soldiers.
Although the bases where VAD soldiers will be deployed are located in different places in Latvia, the Ministry noted that when volunteering for VAD, recruits may indicate their priorities and, as far as possible, he or she is sent to the desired place.
In January 2018 the Ministry of Defense took over the “Mežaine” base from the Skrunda municipality. After the Russian army left the area in the 90s, some of the army's camp buildings remained.
