Commission backs permission for Latvian citizens to volunteer to fight on Ukrainian side / Article

The commission will ask the Saeima to determine the urgency of the draft law, which will allow it to be considered only in two readings. It is planned that the Saeima will decide on this issue tomorrow, February 28.

Currently, the problem is with Article 3 of the National Security Law, which lists the countries in whose armies a Latvian citizen may serve.

At present, the National Security Law prohibits a Latvian citizen from serving in the armed forces, internal army, military organization, intelligence or security service, police (militia) or judicial institutions established by a foreign or other subject of international law or its territory, unless the Latvian citizen in the service of a member state of the European Union, a member state of the European Free Trade Association, a member state of NATO, Australia, Brazil or New Zealand or in the service of a state with which Latvia has concluded an agreement on recognition of dual citizenship, as well as for volunteering in the country of another citizenship (nationality) with which dual citizenship has been established in accordance with the provisions of the Citizenship Law.

It is planned to add Ukraine to this list of countries where Latvians can serve.

It has already been reported that the State Security Service (SSD) explained to LETA that Article 77 of the Criminal Law provides for liability for war in an armed conflict outside the territory of Latvia, challenging the territorial integrity or political independence of a state.

Criminal liability would threaten if a person went to Ukraine to provide support to the aggressor Russia in a targeted manner against Ukraine’s independence and territorial integrity.

It has already been reported that the Criminal Law on active participation in an armed conflict outside the territory of Latvia currently provides for imprisonment for up to ten years and probation for up to three years.

The Saeima determined this responsibility in 2015 after several Latvians went to war on the side of Russian-backed gangs against Ukrainian forces.

The archives of the agency LETA show that after the adoption of this norm, the State Security Service initiated several criminal proceedings against those Latvians who went to war on the Russian side. Some returned to Latvia and were sentenced to real prison terms, while others were still wanted.

LETA has already written that Russia launched an attack on Ukraine on Thursday morning. Although the damage has taken place and the Russian troops are approaching Kiev, it has not won significant victories.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday called on European citizens with combat experience to take up arms and defend Ukraine against Russia’s attack, while criticizing the West for providing aid too slowly.

He also announced that an International Territorial Defense Battalion was being formed in Ukraine, which would include foreigners wishing to join the resistance operation against the Russian occupiers and the protection of world security.

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