Defense
Latvia's military cooperation with Sweden and Finland is becoming deeper and deeper, and it is possible both countries could contibute to new brigade-strength NATO forces stationed in Latvia, Defense Minister Minister Artis Pabriks told the LETA newswire June 30.
NATO collectively and the United States individually said June 29 they would be ramping up their military support for the eastern flank of the Alliance, including Latvia, in view of the clear threat posed by Russia's increasingly reckless and shameless actions in Ukraine.
In connection with the idea of demolishing the Victory Park monument in Rīga, Latvia has become the target of attacks by the Russian hacking group 'Killnet' and its associated groups since May, and Lithuania is now a primary target in connection with its enforcement of sanctions on transit goods to Kaliningrad, Varis Teivāns, Deputy Head of the Information Technology (IT) Security Incident Prevention Institution "Cert.lv" told Latvian Radio June 29.
Revised figures for the numbers of NATO troops to be stationed in member states on the alliance's eastern flank reveal that Latvia will have a larger contingent than any other country.
In response to the need to strengthen the defense capabilities of the Baltic region after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, a Spanish-supplied ground-to-air NASAMS (Norwegian Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System) anti-aircraft missile battery has deployed at the National Air Force Base in Lielvarde, the LETA news agency reported June 26, citing the Ministry of Defense.
The State Real Estate's (VNĪ) price survey for the construction of the next seven sections of Latvia's eastern border infrastructure has concluded. Six stages will be constructed by Citrus Solutions and one stage by VIA, the VNĪ said on June 20.
The weather was fully supportive of the US Air Force's presence in the Baltic states June 16 and a planned symbolic overflight of the Baltic capitals, including Rīga, took place as planned.
The public is being advised that on June 16, two US Air Force F-35 Lightning II fighters and one KC-135 air tanker will fly at very low altitudes in the airspace of the Baltic States.
The Rīga-based NATO Strategic Communications Center of Excellence (STRATCOMCOE) has a new version of its regular 'Robotrolling' reports on malicious online activity available.
On June 7, the Cabinet of Ministers reviewed a report titled “On Improving the Governance of State Cyber Security”, supporting the establishment of a new National Cyber Security Center as of January 1, 2023.
From June 8 to 12, in the vicinity of Jēkabpils and Ogre, as well as in the Ādaži military base, international military training “Knight Swift 22” will take place, the National Armed Forces (NBS) said June 7.
From June 5 to 17, a large-scale annual international military exercise dubbed "BALTOPS 22" will take place in the Baltic Sea region, with the participation of 14 NATO members: the United States, Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland and Turkey, as well as Sweden and Finland, which recently applied to join the alliance.
Spain is prepared to supply air missiles and Leopard tanks to Ukraine, as well as train Ukrainian soldiers in Latvia, the major newspaper El Pais reported June 5, according to newswire LETA.
On June 1, Sweden joined the existing agreement between Latvia, Finland and vehicle manufacturer Patria on the research and development of a common 6x6 armored vehicle system based, the Latvian Defense Ministry announced.
On Tuesday, May 31, the government supported the granting of EUR 967,832 to the Ministry of Interior to cover the costs of reinforcing the guarding of the border of Latvia-Belarus, the Ministry of Interior said.
Ongoing military training exercises being staged in Latvia in coming days will include both land and air components.
Spain is sending a battery of surface-to-air missiles and around 100 troops to the NATO mission in Latvia, the media outlet El Pais wrote Saturday, May 28.
At a meeting of the Baltic Defense Ministers' Committee in Saaremaa, Estonia, on 27 May, ministers from Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania reiterated their condemnation of Russia's invasion of Ukraine and agreed to continue to provide unequivocal support to Ukraine for its sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The annual Rīga StratCom Dialogue event run by the NATO Strategic Communications Center of Excellence, is taking place online and in person May 25-26.
From May 20 to 23, ships of the NATO Standing NATO Mine Counter Mine Action Group (SNMCMG1) will arrive in the port of Liepāja.
Latvian officials were quick Wednesday to congratulate Sweden and Finland on officially submitting applications to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
The number of cyber threats being experienced in Latvia has been rising since the beginning of the year, but Russia is currently making little progress in its regular cyber attacks on Latvia's online resources,
according to Varis Teivāns, a spokesman for the information technology security incident prevention institution Cert.lv, in an interview with Latvian Television.
according to Varis Teivāns, a spokesman for the information technology security incident prevention institution Cert.lv, in an interview with Latvian Television.
Because of the obvious threat posed by Russia, firm and concrete decisions must be taken at the NATO Summit in Madrid concerning the strengthening of security in the eastern flank, Latvia's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Edgars Rinkēvičs, said at an informal meeting of NATO ministers in Berlin, on May 14-15, 2022.
Canada announced further enhancements of its military presence in Latvia May 12.
May 13 will see the continuation of the long-planned planned international military training exercise “Swift Response 22” at the Ādaži base near Rīga with a mass parachute drop from a C-17 aircraft that will have flown all the way from Italy.
Latvia's military support to Ukraine has been more than €200 million so far. More than €10 million has been donated by residents and businesses. Defense Minister Artis Pabriks told Latvian Television on May 11 that it was planned to collect an additional €7 million in donations.
It's close to midnight, and something... unusual is lurking in the dark. While carefully treading around bits of cow dung, trying hard to ignore the smell and the chill, there is a sense of anticipation, of being able to witness something to boast about for the next 50 years.
Latvia plans to extend the state of emergency on the border with Belarus for the third time, deputy Juris Pūce said after the coalition meeting on Monday, May 9.
The issue of improving military mobility has become topical throughout Europe, particularly in the vicinity of Russia. Latvian Television's broadcast De Facto, aired May 8, examined the strengths and weaknesses around the issue in Latvia, as well as the potential funding for improvements.
Members of the public should not be surprised or alarmed to see considerable amounts of military equipment and personnel on the move in coming weeks bearing the Stars and Stripes.
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