Contents tagged with Latvia

  • Russians entering Latvia required to sign document condemning Russian invasion of Ukraine

    Latvian authorities ask Russians who want to enter Latvia to sign a document condemning the war in Ukraine, reports the news website LSM.

    LSM notes that Russians who immigrated to Latvia express indignation in social networks because of checks at the border.

    “The purpose of the inspections is to identify persons who support Russia's military aggression against Ukraine and may pose a threat to the national security of Latvia," the Latvian State Security Service said in a statement.

    62 …

  • Estonia and Latvia recognize Russia’s war crimes in Ukraine as genocide

    Latvia and Estonia have become the first countries in the world to officially recognize the crimes of the Russian Federation in Ukraine as genocide

    The parliaments of Latvia and Estonia adopted statements acknowledging that Russia had committed genocide against the Ukrainian people. 

    In the statement published on its website, the Estonian Parliament says that the Russian Federation committed acts of genocide, including mass atrocities, against the civilian population in the temporarily …

  • Baltic countries halt all imports of Russian gas

    Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia have suspended imports of Russian gas since the beginning of April.

    "If there are still doubts about whether there can be confidence in supplies from Russia, then current events clearly show us that there is no longer any trust," said the CEO of the Latvian gas storage operator Conexus Baltic Grid, Uldis Bariss.

    According to him, Russian natural gas has not been supplied to Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania since April 1. The Baltic market is currently supplied from …

  • Baltic states expel ten Russian diplomats

    Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania have all announced that they have expelled several Russian diplomats from their countries. Estonia and Latvia are each expelling three diplomats, and Lithuania is expelling four.

    The Estonian Foreign Ministry announced that it had summoned the Russian Ambassador in Tallinn on Friday and informed him that three employees of the Russian Embassy with diplomatic status had been declared persona non grata. According to the Estonian Vice Chancellor for Political Affairs, …

  • Baltic countries to send Stinger and Javelin systems to Ukraine

    In order to support Ukraine’s sovereignty and counter possible Russian aggression, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, along with diplomatic support, will provide Ukraine with military assistance, said Lithuanian Defense Ministry.

    As part of this assistance, Lithuania and Latvia will send Stinger anti-aircraft systems to Ukraine, and Estonia will send Javelin portable anti-tank missile systems.

    “Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia speak together in support of Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial …

  • Latvia intends to supply weapons to Ukraine

    Amid growing threat of a Russian invasion of Ukraine, Latvia will provide Kyiv with military equipment. Riga is ready to "supply lethal and non-lethal products" to Kyiv, said Latvian Defense Minister Artis Pabriks at a press conference in the Latvian capital on Wednesday, January 19. What kind of weapons Ukraine will receive will be made public only after their delivery. At the same time, Latvia is not considering the possibility of sending its servicemen to Ukraine, Pabriks said.

    Pabriks …

  • Two suspects detained in Latvia for espionage for Russia

    Two people suspected of long-term cooperation with the military intelligence of the Russian Federation were detained in Latvia. They are accused of providing the Russian Special Services with classified information about the Latvian defense sector, the news agencies BNS and LETA reported, citing the Latvian State Security Service (VVD). The names of the detainees have not been published.

    According to the reports, the suspects were detained by the VVD together with the Defence Intelligence and …

  • Latvia to send weapons to Ukraine

    Latvian Defense Minister Artis Pabriks said that the country will transfer humanitarian cargo to Ukraine, including weapons and military equipment.

    The contents of the shipment were agreed with the Ukrainian Ambassador Oleksandr Mishchenko, reports LSM.lv.

    "We call on our allies in Europe to do the same. Because Ukraine has the right and must be able to defend itself. Ukraine, to a large extent, is taking tensions away from our own borders. From our region. And although Ukraine is not a …

  • Latvia begins military exercises near the border with Belarus

    On Sunday, November 14, Latvia began military exercises in the south-east of the country. According to Defense Minister Artis Pabriks, about 3,000 members of the National Armed Forces and National Guard units are expected to be involved in the maneuvers.

    According to a spokesman for the Ministry of Defense, the exercises The Decisive Point will last until December 12. Their purpose is to test the large-scale cooperation of various military and command structures, as well as logistics and …

  • Russia expels seven Slovak, Lithuanian and Estonian diplomats

    Russia expels a total of seven diplomats from Slovakia and the Baltic States. The Russian Foreign Ministry said that three employees of the Slovak Embassy in Moscow, two employees of the Lithuanian Embassy and one each from the embassies of Latvia and Estonia were declared persona non grata.

    The Russian Foreign Ministry summoned the ambassadors of these countries. They were given "letters of protest in connection with provocative, unreasonable decisions" to expel employees of Russian …