In view of the partial Russian mobilization in the war against Ukraine, Latvia has declared a state of emergency in the border region with Russia. The arrangement allows access to additional resources to protect the border in case more people from the Russian side try to enter Latvia. This would also allow controls to be organized more quickly.
The special regulation applies from September 28 for three months in several districts in the east of the Baltic EU and NATO country – including border checkpoints such as airports and train stations. The government in Riga also decided today to close the Pededze border crossing in order to further reduce the flow of Russian citizens. In addition, the border guards were instructed to monitor the border more closely, as the State Chancellery announced.
According to the Interior Ministry, the situation on the Latvian-Russian border is stable, calm and under control. However, with the partial mobilization announced by Russia, the number of Russian citizens wanting to leave their country has increased significantly. Therefore, there is a risk that the number of illegal entrants could also increase rapidly, it said.