Contents tagged with Latvia

  • Latvia plans to build a fence along the border with Belarus

    Latvian authorities are planning to start the construction of a fence at the border with Belarus, modeled after the barrier erected at the border with Russia. This was reported by Delfi with reference to the head of the State Border Guard of Latvia, Normunds Garbars.

    Garbars noted that the expenses are already built into the budget for the following year. "The project will be realized on the same principles", the news agency writes. According to it, the construction of the fence will begin no …

  • Latvian President: It is necessary to strengthen defense and cooperation with NATO due to Russia’s actions

    The President of Latvia, Raimonds Vējonis, discussed the deteriorating defense situation in the Baltic Sea region due to Russia’s actions, noting that it is necessary to strengthen both defense and cooperation with NATO, during a meeting with the President of Finland, Sauli Niinistö, in Helsinki, Yle reports.

    It was reported that both Presidents emphasized the importance of cooperation when faced with Russia building its military presence in the region.

    According to the Latvian President, …

  • Latvia includes Russian citizens on its 'black lists' for security purposes

    The inclusion of Russian citizens in Latvia’s “black lists” will not improve relations between the two countries. Latvia however is doing this to protect its security. This was stated by Viktor Makarov, who is the advisor to Latvian Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkēvičs.

    “We have seen that Russia is very negative about the inclusion of its citizens in the ‘black lists’. Latvia had the same attitude when Russia did the same thing, and it's normal,” he said while on air with Radio Baltkom.

    Makarov …

  • Canada may deploy helicopters and special forces to Latvia

    Task Force Tomahawk, the 2nd Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group that will be a part of a multinational combat brigade group to NATO, may soon arrive in Latvia, as reported by the portal of the Defense Ministry of Latvia, sargs.lv.

    It was reported that Canada is currently discussing with NATO partners the deployment of a combat group in Latvia in 2017 in the framework of the decisions taken at the NATO Summit in Warsaw. 455 Canadian soldiers will become the nucleus of a multinational battalion …

  • Deployment of anti-aircraft systems around Riga will cost 150 million Euros

    The deployment of the anti-aircraft systems around the Latvian capital of Riga will cost about 150 million Euros, as reported by Delfi.

    These figures were reported by the State Secretary of the Ministry of Defense of Latvia, Janis Garisons, at a meeting of the Budget and Finance Committee of the Saeima.

    The official also said that in the next year Latvia intends to provide the planned 1.7% of GDP or 449 million Euros for defense.

    "Meanwhile, individual projects in the defense sphere may have …

  • NATO Silver Arrow 2016 military drills began in Latvia

    The Silver Arrow-2016 international military drills began in Latvia on Monday. This was reported on the website of the Latvian Ministry of Defense.

    The drills will continue until the 31st of October at a training ground in Ādaži. Over 3,000 servicemen from the NATO member countries of Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Albania, the US, Canada, the UK, the Netherlands, Germany and Romania are participating in these drills.

    “The purpose of these drills is to improve cooperation between the National …

  • Russian warships approached Latvia’s borders again

    The Armed Forces of Latvia have again discovered Russian warships near the country’s borders.

    The National Armed Forces of Latvia reported this on Twitter.

    Ships were recorded twice during the day on Sunday.

    “In the Latvian exclusive economic zone, at a distance of 11 nautical miles from the border, on October 16, Parchim-class corvette Kazanets from the Armed Forces of Russia has been identified,” the statement says.

    In addition, at a distance of eight nautical miles from the territorial …

  • NATO has promised emergency assistance to Latvia in case of a military threat

    Should Latvia be threatened with military force, NATO's response force will be able to deploy to the country within two days, as stated by the head of the Operational Management of the NATO Force Integration Unit, Lieutenant Colonel Simon Badman.

    On Sunday, October 16, 2016 about 500 British soldiers, along with colleagues from other countries, arrived in Latvia to participate in the Silver Arrow exercises. These exercises will last until October 31, 2016. According to Badmen, the purpose of …

  • Latvia recorded the presence of a Russian reconnaissance ship near its borders

    A Russian reconnaissance ship was detected not far from the borders of Latvia. This was reported by the Latvian National Armed forces on Twitter.

    "On October 14, in the Latvian exclusive economic zone, 16.1 nautical miles from Latvian territorial waters, naval forces identified an Alpinist-class reconnaissance ship Zhigulevsk of the Russian armed forces,'' the statement says.

    Since the beginning of the conflict in Ukraine and the aggravation of relations between the West and Russia, Russian …

  • Latvian military begins to strengthen its borders

    An active roll-call of staff has started in the Latvian National Armed Forces, as well as strengthened surveillance of the Latvian border and airspace. The reason for this is the high activity from the Russian army in the vicinity of the Baltic States, Delfi reports, referring to the Ministry of Defense of Latvia.

    Over the past three days, planes from the Russian Air Force were identified near the border of Latvia: Su-24 tactical bombers, Su-27 multipurpose fighters, as well as an An-26 …