Building unified Baltic defence infrastructure should be coordinated with Finnish and Polish military experts, Latvian President Edgars Rinkevics stated, LETA reports. Baltic cooperation with Finland and Poland was necessary to create an effective defence mechanism, he said. At the same time, Rinkevics reminded that Latvia was part of NATO’s defence planning. He discussed the issue…
Latvia will gradually assume responsibility for NATO’s Baltic air policing mission due to ongoing repairs at the Estonian Air Force base in Ämari, LETA reports. The Latvian National Armed Forces (NBS) air base in Lielvarde will host the mission for nine months from 1 March 2024. This is the first time that the mission rotation…
Latvia’s State Border Guard (VRS) has asked the government to close the Silene checkpoint on the country’s border with Belarus due to a sudden surge in illegal border crossings in recent weeks, LSM reports. Latvia has two checkpoints on the Belarus border at Silene and Patarnieki. The Latvian National Armed Forces (NBS), the State Police,…
Latvia’s government has appointed Major General Andis Dilans as the new Chief of the Joint Staff of the Latvian National Armed Forces (NBS) as of 1 November 2023, Baltic News Network reports. He will replace Major General Imants Ziedins, who will continue his military career in the Ministry of Defence. Dilans has been serving in…
Latvia should increase the number of defence personnel by at least 1.3 times to around 31,000 in view of the current geopolitical situation, Major General Imants Ziedins of the Latvian National Armed Forces (NBS) stated, LETA reports. He noted that such an increase would not be possible without the compulsory military service. Ziedins said that…
Latvia’s Ministry of Defence and National Armed Forces (NBS) have extended the application period for volunteers in the second draft for military service by about a week until 21 July 2023, LSM reports. The Ministry of Defence said that there was a spike in applications just before the earlier deadline. So far, 172 young volunteers…
Latvia’s Ministry of Defence has dismissed a third official implicated in a scandalous food procurement contract for the Latvian National Armed Forces (NBS), LETA reports. The official in question worked at the NBS. Earlier, the ministry dismissed Eriks Ezerins, head of the procurement commission, and Imants Freibergs, head of procurement and contracts at the NBS…
Latvia will maintain enhanced monitoring of its border with Belarus due to concerns raised by the presence of the Russian private military company, Wagner Group in Belarus, President Egils Levits stated, LSM reports. A few dozen people continue to attempt crossing from Belarus into Latvia every day. However, there is no significant risk regarding Russian…
Only half of the volunteers who applied for military service in Latvia’s first draft will begin serving in the Latvian National Armed Forces (NBS) on 1 July 2023, LETA reports. Altogether 254 Latvian citizens will join the draft, a Defence Ministry spokesperson announced. A total of 488 citizens expressed their desire to volunteer for military…