On and prior to October 28, 2025, Latvia faces a covert hybrid warfare assault by Russia targeting its sovereignty and border security. The Kremlin employs unmarked soldiers, proxy forces, and clandestine tactics to destabilize Latvia along its eastern border. Russian covert operations include infiltration by disguised military personnel (‘little green men’), psychological warfare, disinformation campaigns, cyberattacks against government and critical infrastructure, and attempts to foment local collaboration with pro-Kremlin actors. Latvia’s national security agencies have reported increased cross-border provocations, unauthorized border transits by disguised operatives, and Russian-directed propaganda efforts broadcasting into Latvian territory. The hybrid campaign seeks to undermine NATO cohesion by exploiting Latvia’s multi-ethnic society and border vulnerabilities. Latvian border and intelligence forces are on heightened alert, deploying countermeasures to detect and expel infiltrators and counter Russian influence. This hybrid assault is noted as part of Russia’s broader strategic pattern of undermining Baltic sovereignty without overt kinetic warfare, combining military secrecy with cyber and information warfare elements.
Category: Military & Paramilitary Operations
Subcategory: Unconventional / Paramilitary
Incident Type: Use of ‘little green men’ (unmarked soldiers)
Country: Latvia
Source report: lansinginstitute.org/2025/10/2…
