Latvia’s President Edgars Rinkevics revealed in a January 2026 interview that Latvia is significantly enhancing its defense posture amid ongoing Russian aggression concerns. The country has erected a 400 km barrier along its frontier with Russia and invested heavily in military border patrols and surveillance. Latvia is improving capabilities against aerial attacks and ballistic missiles, reflecting lessons from the war in Ukraine. Rinkevics asserted no current signs of an imminent Russian attack, but noted Russia’s substantial military presence near Latvia and continuous training activities. Latvia acknowledges the threat of Russian forces redirecting their focus to Baltic countries after Ukraine and is strengthening defenses accordingly. Latvia also monitors internal risks linked to its Russian-speaking minority, wary of sabotage or espionage.
Category: Military & Paramilitary Operations
Subcategory: Conventional Military Pressure
Incident Type: Troop movements near borders
Country: Latvia
Source report: www.blick.ch/fr/monde/…
