Latvian Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs stated that Russia and Belarus are intensifying their hybrid war against the Baltic state, suggesting it is a diversion from battlefield losses in Ukraine. He noted that Russia is testing the region's weak links.
The escalating hybrid warfare tactics by Russia and Belarus pose a direct threat to the stability of Latvia and the wider European Union, potentially leading to increased border tensions and political destabilization in the region.
Latvia's Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs has stated that Russia and Belarus are escalating their hybrid war against the Baltic state, suggesting it is a tactic to divert attention from losses on the battlefield in Ukraine. In an exclusive interview, Kulbergs described the situation as Russia testing the region's weak links, noting a significant increase in attempted illegal crossings from Belarus into Latvia.
Kulbergs indicated that the asylum seekers attempting to cross are primarily young men with criminal pasts, who have been given visas from Belarus. He pointed to the high number of attempted crossings into Latvia compared to Lithuania, which shares a longer border with Belarus, as evidence of a coordinated effort to destabilize the region. The trend has reportedly led Lithuania to consider introducing border controls with Latvia to prevent secondary migration.
These developments occur as US Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. The context of the interview also touched upon broader European security concerns and NATO's role.
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