Latvia’s Defence Chief, Kaspars Pudāns, has expressed concern concerning the upcoming joint navy workout routines between Russia and Belarus.
In response to Pudāns, the Zapad drills—held each 4 years since 2013—are a recurring supply of unease for Latvia’s armed forces, notably attributable to their proximity to the nation’s borders. Whereas these manoeuvres are formally described as routine, they persistently immediate heightened alert ranges throughout the Latvian navy. This heightened state contains intensified intelligence efforts centered on Russian and Belarusian troop actions, higher operational readiness, and the execution of Latvia’s personal coaching workout routines.
Pudāns recollects that in each 2021 and 2022, unannounced Russian navy actions close to Ukraine finally escalated right into a full-scale invasion. He means that the character and scope of the upcoming Zapad drills could also be influenced by developments on the Ukrainian entrance.
He harassed that Latvian defence forces will stay vigilant, persevering with to trace not solely the workout routines themselves but in addition any shifts within the deployment or withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukraine.