After the partial mobilization ordered by the Kremlin, thousands of Russians try to escape the threat of forced conscription by fleeing abroad. Fearing uncontrolled flows of refugees from neighboring Russia, Latvia now wants to tighten security in its border regions.
In view of the partial mobilization announced by Russia 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 on Tuesday to close the Pededze border crossing in order to further reduce the influx 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 migrants could also increase rapidly, it said.
In response to Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, Latvia, along with Estonia, Lithuania and Poland, recently stopped entry for many people from the neighboring country – even if they have valid Schengen visas. According to the Interior Ministry in Riga, a total of 57 Russians have been denied entry since the regulation came into force on September 19. Since then, 2,475 Russians have legally crossed the land border into Latvia, and 2,332 have left for Russia.
In addition to Russia, Latvia also borders Belarus. In the border region to the authoritarian-governed ex-Soviet republic, a state of emergency has been in effect for more than a year. It was decided in August 2021 because thousands of migrants tried to illegally cross the EU’s external border from Belarus.
