"This military operation or war has begun. All facts at our and NATO's disposal, as well as logic proves the case. This action cannot be called otherwise," the Chief of Defence said.
While Lieutenant General Graube pointed out that international norms require a declaration of war, "this hasn’t happened, but at any rate, forces of a foreign country are in another country's territory and waging war against this country's legitimate armed forces," he explained.
Graube went on to say that Latvia's borders are being carefully observed. Russia has stepped up the activity of its warships near Latvia's borders, to which Latvia has responded by stepping up its sea patrols and the monitoring of its neighboring country's military vessels. Graube also stressed the need to bolster Latvia's self-defense capabilities.
Pro-Russian separatists in Ukraine's southeast carried out their first attack on the Ukrainian Navy Sunday, shelling a Ukrainian war ship in the Azov Sea, the Ukrainian armed forces have reported.
Meanwhile, more Russian military maneuvering in the Baltic Sea near Latvia’s territorial waters was spotted by the NBS this weekend, which reported Saturday that the corvette (small warship) Boiky was seen off Latvia’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) maritime jurisdictions.
LVA Armed Forces on 30 AUG in LVA EEZ close to territ. waters spotted RU Navy Steregushcy-class corvette 532 Boikiy.
— NBS (@Latvijas_armija) August 30, 2014
