Warnings of the threat of military escalation on the eastern border continue to sound. In the middle of the migrant crisis – extensive military maneuvers are also planned on both sides in the coming weeks, TV3 News reports.
This year, almost 10,000 soldiers from Latvia, Poland, Estonia, the Netherlands, Norway and Lithuania will take part in the military exercise “Namejs 2021”. The timing of the exercise, which will take place from 30 August to 3 October, coincides with the joint Russian-Belarusian exercise “Zapad”.
Artis Pabriks
Minister of Defense, “For Development / About!”
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“It has been officially said that it could be 13,000, in fact it could be up to 200,000, given the breadth of Russia and the fact that this exercise is taking place together with Belarus, with which we have tense relations. And, as we know, the Zapad exercise is also taking place on our border, which also coincides with the hybrid threat against us from Belarus, which to some extent makes the training ground different. This creates additional ground for possible provocations and incidents that were previously more difficult to organize. It’s all happening in parallel with transporting migrants through the forest towards our country. “
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The Latvian Minister of Defense emphasized that the Belarusian side had already deployed military forces and various armaments near the border, which was not appropriate and proportionate to the current situation on the border, and that it was also difficult to justify military exercises in Zapad. There are also armed people without identification marks near us. The minister, however, declined to comment on what they might be.
Artis Pabriks
Minister of Defense, “For Development / About!”
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“It is clear to everyone that there is currently intense intelligence on both sides near the border, and the Belarusians are watching what we are doing and we are watching what they are doing so that there are no surprises. Such information has reached us. What exactly are these people and their identities, I will refrain from commenting. It is up to the Belarusian side to take full responsibility, and it seems clear to everyone that, by escalating forever, we will not achieve any results. We will be the last to succumb to pressure or a policy of force. “
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Read more:
Approaching the military maneuvers of both sides to prevent an accidental possible military confrontation, the Latvian side calls on Lukashenko to “use common sense”.
Maris Simsons
Colonel, Chief of the Operational Department of the Joint Staff of the NAF
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“First of all, measures of possible military escalation exist here, it is more than clear. This can be a purely human factor, and we cannot rule out such cases. Our soldiers have been given specific maneuvers to use force, and our soldiers have been trained and they know what to do in such a situation. The first step on the part of Belarus would be to reduce its military presence. “
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The Minister of Defense, meanwhile, emphasizes that if Belarus wants to avoid a further escalation of the crisis, the first thing to do is to return to the 2014 agreement between the governments of the two countries on co-operation on the border. First of all, unilaterally terminated contacts with the Latvian side must be restored.
