No Jokes: Latvian Prime Minister Warns Lukashenka

The Baltic country began a pre-emptive action.

The mobilization of additional forces on the Latvian-Belarusian border is a pre-emptive action and a signal that “there will be no jokes”, Prime Minister Krišjānis Kariņš said in an interview with the Morning Panorama program, writes Delfi.lv.

Taking into account the rapidly growing hybrid threat on the Latvian-Belarusian border, the State Border Guard Service will mobilize additional duty border guards from Tuesday to strengthen the protection of the external state border.

“This is a proactive action that increases our presence and sends a clear signal to our society and the authorities of Belarus that “there will be no jokes here” and the external border of both Latvia and the EU will be protected,” Kariņš said, adding that pressure from Belarus gradually intensifies.

As reported, the decision to mobilize additional forces was made in connection with the rapidly growing hybrid threat on the Latvian-Belarusian border on Monday, August 15, when 96 people attempted to illegally cross the national border, and an increase in the intervention of the Belarusian authorities was recorded. in organizing the flow of illegal immigrants.

The provision of annual leave to employees of the State Border Guard is terminated, and the officers who are currently on annual leave are withdrawn from it.

The State Border Service also requested additional support from the National Armed Forces (NAF) and the State Police.

The Ministry of Defense reported that head of the department of defense Ināra Mūrniece instructed the NAF to send additional forces to support the State Border Guard on the Latvian-Belarusian border.

From September 5 to October 2, Namejs-2023, a comprehensive national defense exercise, will be held throughout Latvia, in which it is planned to involve more than 8,500 Latvian military personnel and zemessargs (fighters of the National Guard), as well as soldiers of the allied forces.

In the framework of preparation for Namejs-2023, field tactical exercises of the 32nd Infantry Battalion of the 3rd Latgale Zemmersadze Brigade will be held on the territory of the Rezekne and Ludza regions from August 19 to 20 in order to train and test the general combat capabilities of the unit.