At present, Latvia has no evidence that Russia might directly invade any of NATO member states - Rinkevics

RIGA - Although there is much talk in many quarters about a possible direct Russian invasion of one of the NATO member states, Latvia currently has no such indications or facts that would prove that, President Edgars Rinkevics told reporters today after a meeting with Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs (United List).

The politician noted that it was confirmed yesterday in Estonia that the fire at the defense industry company Milrem Robotics in Tallinn last month was an act of sabotage orchestrated by Russian special services. Similar reports of sabotage carried out by Russia have also emerged in other countries, the president noted.

Rinkevics did not deny that there may come a time when someone actually loses their life in such incidents. "That, of course, is a completely different situation," the politician remarked.

The president emphasized that the public has long been informed that various provocations and cyberattacks can occur, have already occurred, and will continue to occur in Latvia, and that the responsible authorities are treating this very seriously and with a high degree of responsibility. Public involvement is crucial in this regard, Rinkevics noted. He urged the public to report anything suspicious, which, among other things, could be related to Russian provocations, to the relevant authorities.

Rinkevics assessed that Russia currently has two objectives regarding Latvia. The first is to prevent Latvia from providing assistance to Ukraine - something Latvia has no intention of doing, while the second is to create a sense of insecurity and panic among the public and within the country as a whole.

The president noted that, in his discussions with leaders of other countries, he has observed that understanding of Russia’s objectives is also beginning to take hold elsewhere.

Rinkevics does not consider the statement made by Egils Zviedrs, director of the Constitution Protection Bureau (SAB), in an interview with LETA, that Russia, unable to defeat Ukraine, is raising the stakes in Europe, and that civilian casualties cannot be ruled out, is anything radically new. "We have already called on people and warned them to be prepared - without excessive panic, but with great vigilance," the official said.

Kulbergs, for his part, emphasized that Latvia understands very well what to expect from Russia, and understands it much better than many countries in the West. That is why Latvia is investing in security, especially along the border, concentrating its capabilities, and spending enormous resources on defense and internal affairs, the prime minister noted, adding that Latvia does so to a much greater extent than many other European partners who are less informed about Russia.

He asserted that Russia currently lacks the conventional capabilities for another large-scale military operation, but at the same time, we must understand and be prepared for provocations. "There is no need to be alarmed, but we must be vigilant," the prime minister said.

As reported, Zviedris noted in an interview with LETA that SAB has been warning about an escalation of Russia’s unconventional military operations since early spring. Specifically, Russia is unable to achieve its stated goal - victory in the war against Ukraine, and is therefore escalating the situation in Europe, given the support Western countries are providing to Ukraine.

This escalation includes hybrid threats such as cyberattacks and acts of physical sabotage, as well as information warfare. Russia is escalating the situation because it has failed to reduce Western support for Ukraine or to secure a relaxation of sanctions, Zviedris explained.

Consequently, we are seeing incidents such as drones filled with explosives at Leipzig Airport and acts of sabotage on railway lines in European countries. "Russia is raising the stakes, and unfortunately, we cannot rule out civilian casualties either," emphasized the director of Latvia’s special services.

Zviedris pointed out that so far in Europe, Russia has not carried out only false-flag operations, as everything else has already happened. He reminded that in Latvia there have been acts of desecration of monuments and the arson attack on the Museum of the Occupation, while in Lithuania there have been attacks on Russian opposition figures living there. Meanwhile, recent warnings by Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk about Russian threats were directly related to false-flag operations. Similarly, there was a recent Russian attack on a Ukrainian passenger train just two kilometers from the Polish border, Zviedris noted.

"Consequently, Tusk warned of Russian attacks near the borders of NATO countries. Such statements serve as a warning to Russia that we are monitoring its activities near our national borders and will not tolerate them," added the director of SAB.

Zviedris noted that Latvia has requested the deployment of four NATO fighter jets here during the Saeima elections, a request to which Germany has agreed. This step was taken to rule out any possible provocations, such as the appearance of an unidentified flying object in Latvian airspace, which could subsequently spark speculation about the legitimacy of the election process.

"So the Russian threat is real, and since the aggressor has been unable to achieve its goals in Ukraine, the stakes are being raised," Zviedris added.