Defense
The investigation into the Russian "Shahed" drone that flew into Latvian airspace and was found in the Rēzekne municipality will also assess whether the National Armed Forces followed procedures appropriate to the situation, Minister of Defence Andris Sprūds (Progressives) said on Latvian Television's "Morning Panorama" program September 10.
The Cabinet of Ministers meeting on Tuesday, September 10, decided to extend the enhanced border security regime at the Latvian-Belarusian border.
The Russian drone that fell in the Rēzekne region on Saturday, September 7, was a "Shahed" type drone equipped with explosives, representatives of the National Armed Forces (NBS) said at a press conference Monday, September 9.
On Saturday, September 7, a Russian unmanned aerial vehicle (drone) crashed in the Rēzekne municipality, representatives of the Military Public Relations Department of the Latvian Ministry of Defense said.
The full statement issued by the Latvian Ministry of Defense about the incursion of a Russian drone into Latvian airspace is reproduced below. The statement was issued on the afternoon of September 8, 2024,
On Friday, September 6, while participating in the meeting of the Ukrainian Defense Contact Group in Ramstein, Germany, Latvian Minister of Defense Andris Sprūds said that at the beginning of 2025, Latvia will organize an international drone summit.
To strengthen cybersecurity in Latvia and implement the revised European Union Network and Information Systems Directive requirements, the National Cybersecurity Law, developed by the Ministry of Defense, came into effect on September 1, reports Labs of Latvia.
The State Fire and Rescue Service (VUGD) has been inspecting the basements of state and municipal buildings to determine whether they meet bomb shelter requirements. Civil protection experts have concluded that funding should be sought in next year's budget to improve the facilities, Latgale regional television reported September 5.
The Latvian Ministry of Defense is inviting think tanks to submit applications for participation in a competition "to promote research and public awareness on defense issues" the ministry said in a release September 4.
Latvian residents can expect to see the miltary on the move from Tuesday with the major annual 'Namejs' training drills taking place.
So far, thanks to public donations, the "Ziedot.lv" charity organization has sent several thousand demining kits to Ukraine. They are very necessary right now – each neutralized mine saves a child, civilian or soldier from death or horrific injury.
Attempts to disrupt the operation of Latvian websites have not disappeared, and last week there was another wave of attacks, but mostly they only succeeded in slowing down the operation of various pages, not stopping them completely.
The upgrades continue at Ādaži military base near Rīga with the opening August 28 of a new tank and heavy equipment depot.
From September 2 to 6, an international military exercise with the entertaining title "Furious Wolf 24" will take place in Sigulda region, the Latvian National Armed Forces (NBS) has announced.
From Wednesday, August 28 to Thursday, August 29, Minister of Defense Andris Sprūds is visiting London, the United Kingdom, on a working visit.
Latvian residents are being given advance notice that they can expect to see the miltary on the move this autumn with the major annual 'Namejs' training drills taking place.
Latvia's Military Police has imposed an administrative penalty on 91 conscripts of the National Defense Service (VAD) for not appearing for their required health check-ups at the place and time specified in their summons, the LETA news agency reports, citing information from the Press Department of the Ministry of Defense.
Latvia and Ukraine have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on cooperation in the field of cyber security, the Ministry of Defense said August 24.
Latvia will allocate an additional 20 million euros to the 'Drone Coalition' for Ukraine in 2025 and Ukrainian drone pilots will be trained in Latvia, Defense Minister Andris Sprūds said on Friday, August 23, during a working visit to Ukraine, during a meeting with Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov.
The defense sector continues to work on strengthening Latvia's eastern border and implementing the anti-mobility plan. Together with Colonel Andris Rieksts of the National Armed Forces (NBS), Latvian Radio walked through the area on the side of the A13 highway, near Kārsava, about 10 kilometers from the Latvian-Russian border.
Due to intensive cyber attacks, the websites of the unified state platform periodically experience malfunctions - slow operation or inaccessibility of the sites, the Cabinet of Ministers told LETA on August 20 afternoon.
A survey of the basements of state and municipal buildings has found that more than half of the rooms are suitable or partially suitable for bomb shelter, according to the State Fire and Rescue Service (VUGD) information published on August 20.
On Monday, August 19, a ceremony was held at the Ādaži military base near Rīga to mark the official arrival of a Royal Danish Armed Forces battalion to the NATO multinational brigade in Latvia.
Last week, the government assessed progress on the eastern border, concluding that the plan is even ahead of schedule. As Latvian Television's De Facto broadcast, aired August 18, reports, seven criminal cases are currently pending in court for offenses in the construction and equipping of the border committed before 2019.
Work continues on strengthening Latvia's eastern borders with aggressor states Russia and Belarus, with the Defense Ministry displaying its latest efforts to media on August 16.
As the mushroom picking season gets into full swing, people often break the rules at risk to their health and lives in order to get their hands on wild mushrooms. Almost every day, military police detain a mushroom picker or a berry picker in the Ādaži base, Latvian Television reported on August 15.
Last year, microelectronics supplied to Russia through the Baltic States reached several companies engaged in the production of weapons, the Ukrainian public organization NAKO – which analyzes the composition of Russian weapons shot down and captured in Ukraine – claims in an interview with Latvian Radio.
From August 15 to 19, in the vicinity of Skrunda, Rudbārži and Renda parishes of Kuldīga district, the training of soldiers and National Guards will be taking place.
The construction of the infrastructure at the eastern border of Latvia is ahead of schedule, according to an information report presented August 13 from the Ministry of the Interior on the progress of the construction of permanent infrastructure at the country's external land border.
The Ministry of Defense has received another load of drones manufactured by the Latvian domestic industry for shipment to Ukraine. The next shipment will include 500 drones, the Ministry of Defence said in a press release on August 13.
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