Defense
This week, another cargo of military technology produced in Latvia will travel to Ukraine for the funds donated in the “Good News” (Labās ziņas) project on the platform “Ziedot.lv”, including a special mine robot manufactured by Latvian experts, Latvian Television reported September 20.
In order to ensure the integrity of the State border and the prevention of threats to the State in relation to illegal migration, the operation of the Silene border crossing point on the Latvian-Belarusian border has been suspended, according to the draft Cabinet regulation approved by the government on Tuesday, September 19.
One point of the new government declaration is a commitment to complete the construction of the fence on the border with Belarus by the end of this year. If this step were not taken, the process would extend into 2025, reports Latvian Television's De Facto broadcast on September 17.
During the last 24 hours, large numbers of attempts to illegally cross into Latvia from Belarus continued.
Monday, September 11 saw Latvia and Estonia moving one step closer to getting their own joint, medium-range air defense missile system with the signing of a so-called 'umbrella agreement' with Germany.
As of Thursday, international military exercises “Northern Coasts 2023” organized by the German Navy have been taking place in the territory of Latvia and the Baltic Sea, Latvian Radio reports.
Defense is likely to receive funding equivalent to 3% of gross domestic product next year, Defense Minister Ināra Murniece (National Alliance) said in a press briefing on Tuesday, September 5. It is also planned to further increase the strength of the National Armed Forces (NBS) and to expand the presence of NATO troops in Latvia.
Latvia's national cyber-security agency, CERT.LV, said September 4 that "today several hacktivist groups supported by Russia are carrying out large-scale cyber attacks against institutions in the state, financial and healthcare sectors."
The Ministry of Defense has categorically denied any involvement of Latvia in the drone attack on Pskov airport, which took place on Tuesday evening. Russian media reports that around 20 drone vehicles were involved in this attack; several vehicles, Il–76, were damaged by the attack.
On Tuesday, 29 August, the government tasked the responsible parties with speeding up infrastructure building on the Latvia–Belarus border, Latvian Television reports.
The State Border Guard will have the right to use a psychological effect sound device against border offenders, the government decided at a meeting on Tuesday, August 29.
On Monday, August 28, the training of the National Armed Forces in the border area “Namejs Wall” was completed with a highway-blocking exercise. Soldiers practiced stopping and delaying an enemy approaching, for example, from the Belarusian side, Latvian Television reported.
Interior Ministers from Poland and the Baltic States met in Warsaw August 28 to discuss further coordination of their border security efforts in view of the Belarusian regime's hybrid warfare people-smuggling operation and the threat posed by aggressor state Russia
Latvia has sent another helicopter to Ukraine to help in that country's brave defense against Russian aggression.
From August 26 to 28, military exercises will be held in Latvia's eastern Latgale region, which borders Russia and Belarus, to improve the anti-mobility capability of the National Armed Forces (NBS) and the readiness to deploy engineering obstacles, according to an army press release.
On Monday, August 28, a U.S.-Baltic Defense Industry Day event will take place in Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania, bringing together a wide range of experts and industry representatives, according to a release from the Latvian Ministry of Defense.
The State Security Service (VDD) has initiated criminal proceedings against a Latvian citizen in connection with suspicions of public justification of terrorism and terrorist training, as well as recruitment and training of other persons for terrorism, the VDD said in a statement August 24.
Although the interest in joining the National Guard is lower than last year following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, it is still high, Commander of the National Guard Kaspars Pudāns told Latvian Television on August 24.
The threat to Latvia of the military mercenary group Wagner is decreasing, but it should be noted that Belarus will try to increase pressure on the border with Latvia, Director of the NATO Strategic Communications Centre of Excellence Jānis Sārts said in an interview with Latvian Television on August 24.
On Tuesday, August 22, officials of the State Border Guard prevented 143 people from attempting to illegally cross the border of Latvia-Belarus, the border guard said.
During the annual training of the Ministry of Defense “AMEX 2023”, movement in the center of Riga may be disrupted and the presence of the National Guard units is also planned on the streets, the Ministry said August 22.
For the second time in the last two weeks, border guards have had to use a firearm to stop border offenders at the border of Latvia-Belarus, the State Border Guard said on August 22.
The construction of the fence on the border with Belarus is hampered by builders' capacity, so the possibility of involving the National Armed Forces (NBS) is also under consideration, said Interior Minister Māris Kučinskis (United List) in an interview on the “Morning Panorama” broadcast of Latvian Television August 22.
This year, a total of more than 6,000 people have been prevented from crossing the Latvian–Belarusian border and nearly 300 have been admitted for humanitarian reasons. It's more than the entire last year. Border Guard told Latvian Television on August 21 that they are ready for possible threats.
Any decision to close the border with Belarus must be uniform in all the Baltic States, otherwise, it will be possible to bypass the border, Defense Minister Ināra Murniece (National Alliance) said in an interview with Latvian Television on August 21.
The number of illegal border crossing attempts on the Belarusian side has risen rapidly, so life in the eastern border of Latvia has become more alarming, local government heads told Latvian Radio on August 17.
The mobilization of reinforcements at the border of Latvia–Belarus is a logical step, as the number of illegal border crossings has increased significantly, Interior Minister Māris Kučinskis (United List) said in an interview with Latvian Radio on August 16.
As of Tuesday, August 15, the State Border Guard will mobilize extra border guards in the service for guarding the eastern border, taking into account the rapidly rising hybrid war threat on the Latvian–Belarusian border.
Over the years, the construction of Latvia's eastern border infrastructure has gained the reputation of 'not the most successful project'. Criminal proceedings have been brought in this context, the deadlines have been pushed forward many times, and in the middle of all, there has been a hybrid war developed by the Belarusian regime. When will the eastern border finally be ready?
This week, on August 8 a Latvian border guard used a firearm, firing warning shots, to detain a group of eight immigrants for illegally crossing the Latvia-Belarus border, according to information posted on the State Border Guard's website.
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