More Latvia has been hosting German interceptors at the Lielvārde airbase since the Spring while upgrade work was carried out at the Ämari airbase in Estonia which usually hosts the NATO deployment in tandem with the Šiauliai airbase in Lithuania.   Allies take turns deploying to air bases at Šiauliai, Lithuania and Ämari, Estonia, on a four-month rotational basis, ready to be launched by NATO’s Combined Air Operations Centre Uedem Latvia and Estonia contribute to the mission with host nation support in the form of air command and control infrastructure and personnel A ceremony will take place at Lielvārde Wednesday to mark the departure of the jets "This nine-month rotation in Latvia has proven that the Lielvārde base is fully adapted to the deployment of fighter jets The NATO patrol mission strengthens Baltic airspace and ensures its protection regardless of where the aircraft are based taking into account the increasing frequency of NATO airspace violations it is necessary to promote the presence of allies in Latvia both through increased deterrence activities and through the implementation of an active NATO air defense rotation model," said Latvian Defense Minister Andris Sprūds During the time NATO's Baltic airspace patrol mission has been in Latvia from March to November fighter jets were scrambled from the Lielvārde base 54 times When the Baltic air patrol returns to Estonia's renovated Ämari base, Dutch F-35 fighter jets will be deployed in December Since 2004 patrols have been carried out from the Šiauliai airbase in Lithuania and since 2014 the support mission has also been carried out from the Ämari base This was the first time that a mission rotation was based in Latvia and will have provided valuable experience and proof that Lielvārde is fully capable of operating as a base for advanced military aircraft allied fighter jets stationed in the Baltic States not only respond to the illegal entry of Russian military aircraft into the airspace of the Baltic States and dangerous flights by Russian planes flying without transponders turned on in international airspace but also patrol allied airspace near the Russian-Belarusian border Select text and press Ctrl+Enter to send a suggested correction to the editor Select text and press Report a mistake to send a suggested correction to the editor members of Ogre City Council decided to purchase artists Agris and Ināra Liepiņi family’s created exposition in the wooden castle Uldevene in Lielvārde for EUR 15 000 because the founder and owner of the castle Liepinš decided that this was the last season of the castle appreciating the contribution of the Liepinš family believed that the castle should be preserved as an important object of Latvian identity in the European cultural space head of the Ogre Municipality Culture and Tourism Department the artist had evaluated the exposition created in the castle for EUR 18 600 but the municipality has agreed as a result of negotiations that the municipality will be able to purchase the castle exposition for EUR 15 000 Head of the Andrejs Pumpurs Lielvārde Museum paintings are useful illustrative and textual informative material for everyone both for young people who learn the history of Latvia in schools The artworks and objects offered by Liepinš have museum value so it is very important to preserve these works for future generations it is essential to preserve the Uldevene Castle mainly due to its educational function The preservation of the unique model of the ancient Latvian wooden castle in the existing location will provide an opportunity to continue creating a cultural space that would educate the public about the history of Latvia and its inhabitants the municipality will have the opportunity to improve the learning process of pupils by carrying out research work implementing lessons in the wooden palace and creating additional content for a specific period of Latvian history Until the castle installation is taken over the municipality will develop a plan to maintain and improve the site It is planned to digitize the castle exposition as well as to create master classes on the spot – potter’s workshop so that visitors can acquire skills in the craft skills of ancient masters The municipality plans to take over the castle exposition in November this year the logs of the wooden castle need to be replaced – under the influence of the environment and the owner of the castle installation is also concerned about the safety of visitors The Chairman of the Council Egils Helmanis (NA) said that on the 7th of August a meeting with the management of the woodworking industry is planned to agree on the possibilities of replacing the damaged logs “The castle was built from scrapped logs donated by the woodworkers who are also now ready to donate building materials to the castle,” pointed out Helmanis Lielvarde ancient Latvian wooden castle is an ideal reconstruction of the castle of the 10th and 13th centuries which is based on archaeological excavation materials from various places in Latvia The owner and author of the castle Liepinš has been building the castle on his own since 1997 Also read: European Court of Human Rights rules Zhdanok’s ban on running in Saeima elections was fair Follow us on Facebook and X Story by German Eurofighter detachment Public Affairs Officer Reinforcing the security of Alliance airspace the German Air Force has been contributing to NATO's enhanced Air Policing (eAP) mission in the Baltic region since March of this year Operating out of Lielvarde Air Base in Latvia the detachment’s Eurofighters continue to play a crucial role in protecting NATO's eastern flank serves as a defensive measure and a critical element of the Alliance’s collective defence posture The Luftwaffe’s presence offers deterrence and reassurance to the Baltic States – Estonia and Lithuania – and ensures the security of NATO airspace the German detachment has launched approximately 40 quick reaction alert (QRA) missions identifying a variety of Russian aircraft in international airspace over the Baltic Sea Under NATO’s Command and Control structure “Thanks to the continued cooperation and professionalism by our Latvian hosts we have successfully sustained the first eAP deployment from Lielvarde for over six months” Commander of the German Eurofighter detachment “The very high level of dedication of both the host nation and our own personnel demonstrates the commitment to our common objectives This allows us to achieve readiness to execute NATO Air Policing flights around the clock,” he added This year’s contribution by Germany highlights NATO’s flexibility in safeguarding the skies over Eastern Europe and ensuring that the Alliance remains ready to respond to any type of potential threat As runway construction and flight line infrastructure repairs at Ämari Air Base in Estonia progress until the end of the year the German detachment seamlessly set up operations at Lielvarde to ensure mission continuity “Our robust and proven procedures for deploying with mobile infrastructure allow us to operate our jets in support of NATO Air Policing wherever necessary” training and exercises with allied forces help maintain a high level of readiness supporting NATO’s objective of defending Alliance populations and territories The German Air Force’s contribution to eAP will continue through the coming months as part of NATO’s rotational presence in the region Emphasizing the importance of continued vigilance and collective defence the presence of German jets in the Baltics underlines both NATO’s strength and solidarity Cookie Policy Copyright © 2025 Defence Industry Europe | mady by: geekon.eu We use cookies to enhance your browsing experience, serve personalized ads or content, and analyze our traffic. By clicking "Accept All", you consent to our use of cookies. We use cookies to help you navigate efficiently and perform certain functions. You will find detailed information about all cookies under each consent category below. The cookies that are categorized as "Necessary" are stored on your browser as they are essential for enabling the basic functionalities of the site. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze how you use this website, store your preferences, and provide the content and advertisements that are relevant to you. These cookies will only be stored in your browser with your prior consent. You can choose to enable or disable some or all of these cookies but disabling some of them may affect your browsing experience. Necessary cookies are required to enable the basic features of this site, such as providing secure log-in or adjusting your consent preferences. These cookies do not store any personally identifiable data. Functional cookies help perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collecting feedback, and other third-party features. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics such as the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with customized advertisements based on the pages you visited previously and to analyze the effectiveness of the ad campaigns. During the meeting with soldiers from Germany, Spain, and the United States the President of Latvia expressed gratitude for their service in Latvia. "Your presence in Latvia serves as practical proof of NATO's collective defence. I thank the American, German, and Spanish soldiers for their service in Latvia. I would especially like to thank all those who facilitated the NATO Baltic Air Policing Mission from Lielvārde airfield this month," said the President of Latvia. Your feedback will help us improve this site. novembrī daudzviet Ogres novadā tika iedegtas svētku egles un Ziemassvētku rotājumi Šogad Ogres novadā līdz ar jau esošajiem ir uzstādīti trīs jauni "December Design" oriģināldizaina vides objekti – "Lielvārdes josta un egle" Lielvārdē "Saule" Ķegumā un "Gaismas grāmata" Ikšķilē Arī šogad Ogres novads izceļas ar īpaši skaistiem rotājumiem – kā vēsta informācija Ogres novada pašvaldības mājaslapā novadā pie baznīcām iedegtas 24 izgaismotas lielformāta eņģeļu dekorācijas izgaismota 3D konstrukcija "Egle" Ogrē un "Kariete" ar diviem zirgiem Mālkalnes prospektā 20 lielo un 17 mazo bumbu dekorācijas Brīvības ielas liepu alejā; dekorācija "Laimīgu jauno gadu" un citi rotājumi Turklāt šogad uz svētku laiku uzstādīti trīs jauni oriģināldizaina vides objekti – "Lielvārdes josta un egle" Lielvārdē "Saule" Ķegumā un "Gaismas grāmata" Ikšķilē Pirms lielās egles iedegšanas Ogrē klātesošos uzrunāja Ogres novada pašvaldības domes priekšsēdētājs Egils Helmanis ka Pirmās adventes svētki ir ģimenes svētki arī Ziemassvētku gaidīšanas un mīlestības svētki ka ir iespēja būt kopā ar savu ģimeni un pateikties par to Arī šogad pašvaldība izsludināja atklātu konkursu “Jaunu Ziemassvētku dekorāciju izgatavošana kā rezultātā noslēdza līgumu ar Ziemassvētku dekorāciju ražotāju “First Service” (zīmols “December Design”) Līdz ar centrālajām svētku eglēm novadā pie baznīcām ir iedegtas 24 izgaismotas lielformāta eņģeļu dekorācijas izgaismota 3D konstrukcija “Kariete” ar diviem zirgiem Mālkalnes prospektā 20 lielo un 17 mazo bumbu dekorācijas Brīvības ielas liepu alejā divas vidējās un vienas lielās bumbas dekorācija Marsona laukumā Ogrē Tāpat arī tapusi dekorācija “Laimīgu jauno gadu” rotācijas aplī pie Kalna alejas noformēti 18 koki Brīvības ielas gājēju promenādē un viens koks pie Ogres Centrālās bibliotēkas divi – pie Kalna prospekta un Bērzu alejas gājēju pārejas Liela interese pagājušajā gadā tika izrādīta par objektu “Betlēmes zvaigzne” uz 23 metrus augstā klinšu kāpšanas torņa Zvaigžņu ielā 11 un tā veidota no vairāk nekā 66 000 LED diožu kas savijas vairāk nekā sešu kilometros gaismas virteņu Mirdzošā milzu zvaigzne ir apskatāma arī šogad Svētku sajūtas radīšanai iepretī Ogres novada pašvaldības ēkai ierīkota neliela Kristus dzimšanas ainiņa pie kuras katru adventes svētdienu no plkst 16.00 līdz 20.00 sastopamas dzīvas aitas un ganiņi ir iespēja sasildīties pie ugunskura un dzirdēt Ziemassvētku mūziku decembra Ogres novada iedzīvotājus un viesus priecēs akcija “Egļu stāsts” nevalstiskās organizācijas un uzņēmēji dekorēs savu egli Ogres novada Tūrisma informācijas centrs izveidojis karti ar Ziemassvētku rotājumiem un ieteicamo četru kilometru garo maršrutu svētku dekorāciju apskatei Izgaismotie objekti ieslēdzas līdz ar ielu apgaismojumu šogad pašvaldība plāno samazināt elektroenerģijas patēriņu 16 svētku egles iedegšanas pasākums notiks Ķeipenē Ziemassvētku noskaņās Ogres novads būs izrotāts līdz pat janvāra beigām Iezīmē kļūdaino tekstu un spied Ctrl+Enter Jebkādu materiālu pilnīga vai daļēja izmantošana atļauta tikai ar SIA All Media Latvia iepriekšēju rakstisku atļauju Tavas dzimšanas dienas datums palīdz mums nodrošināt Padari savu skatīšanās pieredzi vēl ērtāku lai jebkurā laikā varētu atgriezties pie tiem kā arī saņem paziņojumus par jaunām epizodēm lūdzu norādi savu e-pasta adresi ar kādu esi reģistrējies Uz to tiks nosūtīta paroles atjaunošanas instrukcija There are medium and long-term infrastructure development priorities and objectives Logistics and Defence Investment Policy Department of the Ministry of Defence identifies the needs of National Armed Forces (NAF) and prepares plans for the development of new infrastructure and existing facilities It also oversees the various planning initiatives and progress towards deliverables State Centre for Defence Infrastructure and Military Procurements (VAMOIC) is the unit responsible for construction management/maintenance of defence infrastructure and compliance with environmental standards The largest completed and on-going construction projects in recent years Phase I of the construction of National Guard Jēkabpils battalion base began in 2023 and continues throughout the 2024 Phase I of the construction of National Guard Dobele battalion base will start in 2024 Storage construction continued at the Camp Alūksne in 2023 and contracts for construction of army and National Guard personal equipment storage as well as reconstruction of Camp Lūznava canteen Construction priorities of Ministry of Defence: Take note – story published 1 year and 1 month ago anyone hoping for another budget airline route into Latvia will be disappointed to learn that the facility is intended for "the prompt reception of incoming foreign soldiers in Latvia." commander of the NATO force integration unit representatives of the NATO Security Investment Program the Customs Administration of the State Revenue Service and the building company SIA "Archers" also took part in the opening of the passenger terminal "The new passenger terminal will enable the efficient mobility of allied forces in accordance with NATO standards. Latvia makes significant investments to support the presence of allied forces in the region implementing the development of military infrastructure and performing other duties of the host country," said the Ministry of Defense.  function () { LSM.articles.prepareVideoWithCover('vc-2351-2024-03-1088311'); });220324-TVP-lielvarde2min Construction was started at the end of 2021 and its total cost is 5.6 million euros. 90% of the construction costs of the passenger terminal were financed from the NATO Security Investment Program (NSIP)  while the necessary equipment for the airport was financed from the national budget In order to ensure the operation of the terminal in accordance with the legislation of Latvia and the European Union the terminal also provides Customs posts of the State Revenue Service and permanent workplaces for representatives of the State Border Guard who will ensure the inspection and processing of arrivals Re:Baltica and Delfi report on Latvian and Estonian court documents showing how the GRU is recruiting Baltic citizens to vandalize and set fire to targets in the West a homeowner from the small village of Rembate an hour's drive from the Latvian capital Riga was working in her garden when she saw a black car turn into her driveway By the time the homeowner reached the gate leaving a folded piece of paper on the ground She picked it up but quickly forgot about it distracted by the newspapers the mailman had just delivered she immediately handed it over to her son-in-law who then contacted the Military Intelligence and Security Service an investigator turned up at the woman’s house The swift response was due to the note’s heading: “Mission Lielvārde Military Airfield.” Below were instructions on what to photograph at the airfield and how to respond if questioned about the reasons for taking pictures The back of the note featured a childlike drawing of an airplane The house where this document was found is located just a few kilometers from the Lielvārde base which houses Latvian military aircraft — including U.S.-supplied Black Hawk helicopters — used for continuous surveillance of Baltic airspace even locals around Lielvārde proceed cautiously “We should be careful even when going to pick mushrooms because we are so close to a military facility,” the homeowner someone can ask us to show documents.” It bore all the hallmarks of a standard intelligence tasking given by a handler to an agent Latvian authorities were able to track down a network of saboteurs recruited by the Russian special services the network consists of operatives who have been dispatched to several countries on paid missions of subversion and provocation all aimed at undermining Western support for Ukraine this team was even assigned to burn down a military facility in Kyiv in January 2022 just a month before Russia’s full-scale invasion “The goal already then was to instill fear among Ukrainian residents,” Normunds Mežviets “Just as Russia is now trying to do in Europe with acts of sabotage.” such acts have grown exponentially throughout NATO countries in the last two years coinciding with Russia’s faltering campaign on the battlefield The efforts are part of what Estonia’s Prime Minister Kaja Kallas has dubbed the Kremlin’s “shadow war” against the West whose resolve and determination in arming and supporting Kyiv has further contributed to Russian military setbacks The sabotage operations are so numerous and widespread that a new one is uncovered and reported on every week or two Plots have included arson attacks on a large-scale shopping mall in Warsaw and a metals factory in Berlin owned by a company that makes air defense systems the sites have been linked to military aid bound for Ukraine at least eight serious Russia-linked incidents have been reported in Poland and the Baltic states alone According to Western intelligence services this continent-wide campaign is being led by the GRU Owing to Europe’s mass expulsion of Russian diplomats — many of them intelligence officers — following the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 local recruitment efforts have increasingly given way to the virtual variety The GRU selects its assets via social media platforms such as Telegram and instructs them to carry out everything from vandalism to terrorism to undermine Western support for Ukraine The paydays range from between a few hundred and thousands of euros relying on exclusively obtained court documents and CCTV footage can reveal how the GRU’s recruitment process works and who the individuals who agree to work for Russia are The note found by the owner of the house in Rembate was like hitting the jackpot for the authorities It had everything: detailed instructions and meticulously recorded expenses it read: “Create a report on the criteria Next to it were the costs for two nights at a guesthouse near the airfield and the rental of a Canon camera investigators visited the guesthouse near the airfield The owners remembered that they had only one guest that night: a young His hair was in a ponytail and he wore a t-shirt and ripped jeans He had come to relax with his guitar and Canon camera He said his boss had treated him to a holiday for a job well done He mentioned working in a shopping center in the Latvian capital Sergejs also inquired about where the soldiers from the airfield go to unwind Hodonovičs wrote the received instructions on a piece of paper Sergejs had arrived at the guesthouse in a CarGuru vehicle so the next stop for the investigators was the rental agency they traced Sergejs’s route but could not yet crack his identity as the car had been rented under a woman's name — no doubt under the careful instructions of his handlers But the same was not true of the company where Sergejs rented his Canon camera During a search of his apartment in a run-down district of Riga they seized a phone containing photos of an abandoned military bunker in the woods — and also of Kante the recommended soldiers’ haunt in Lielvārde A criminal case was launched against Hodonovičs for espionage on behalf of Russia Hodonovičs's activities fall within the tasks assigned by the Russian Federation’s GRU,” the investigation stated Dressed in a denim jacket with fleece lining his hair shoulder-length and his beard three days’ worth of stubble Hodonovičs sits slumped in his interrogation video at VDD headquarters He recounts how he met a man nicknamed “Green” while searching for marijuana on Telegram chats Green was looking for someone to go to Estonia and “draw something” with spray paint two months after Russia invaded Ukraine and a month before he dropped the note in Rembate Hodonovičs left work early and boarded a bus headed to Estonia’s capital Hodonovičs received instructions that his partner for the job was on the same bus with cans of spray paint Hodonovičs dubbed him “the Kid.” “He was irritable and spoke Russian,” Hodonovičs told interrogators “The Kid had the location on his phone.” the two walked for about an hour until they reached a concrete wall They were to spray an image the Kid had received from the anonymous client on his cellphone Neither understood exactly what the writing meant but after tagging the wall with orange-red letters then boarded a bus for the return journey back to Latvia police received a call from a passerby that the outer walls of a military complex that houses the NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Center of Excellence (Cyber Defence Center) had been vandalized “Killnet hacked you,” and it was repeated multiple times across 620 feet of the long Killnet is a Russian-language hacking group known for offering DDoS attacks as a service When Russia launched the war in Ukraine on February 24 Killnet quickly announced its full support for Moscow Nor was the criminal daubing the extent of this operation several Estonian online state services and websites including that of the Cyber Defence Center suffered distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks resulting in some being temporarily taken offline Estonia has been a frequent target of Russian cyber attacks — the worst one occurring in 2007 as retaliation for the relocation of a Soviet-era World War II monument from a busy city intersection in central Tallinn to a military cemetery The so-called Bronze Soldier affair shut down some of Estonia’s digital government and economic infrastructure causing the country to ramp up its cybersecurity capability Today it is one of the leaders in the field in NATO was different because it wasn’t just virtual: it coincided with a physical message on Estonian soil The country’s cyber crime unit of the central criminal police mapped the attackers and the tactics they were using likening them to “kids throwing pebbles at windows from a distance,” according to Ago Ambur The attackers never penetrated any networks Ambur added; at best they managed to take a website or service down for a short while another unit in Estonian law enforcement investigated the graffiti City traffic cameras soon revealed that a taxi took two men to a bus stop near the admittance gate of the Cyber Defence Center Re:Baltica and Delfi have obtained that CCTV footage It was a little after half past one at night It took the men more than an hour to graffiti their message They left the site on foot shortly after 3 a.m Photographing the military airfield in Lielvārde was a much more arduous task The Telegram chat automatically deleted messages so Hodonovičs wrote the instructions on paper just in case someone asked.” On the other he captured specific targets from four locations He sent the photos from his phone to the client Hodonovičs was paid the same amount as the “Killnet” vandalism: 400 euros Hodonovičs's testimonies are inconsistent but it is evident that he received assignments from multiple people who knew each other Gļeb’s daily business involved money laundering by recruiting “mules” — decoy bag men who withdraw cash from ATMs or allowed their personal information to be used to open banks accounts a British online financial services company Hodonovičs also assisted Gļeb in the latter’s mule business he took a taxi for a five-hour drive from Riga to a hotel in Tallinn received a bag full of euros from a stranger Gļeb also acted as a remote recruiter-agent helping a contact he met on Telegram find people for various tasks earning a commission for each successful match For finding Hodonovičs to paint the graffiti in Tallinn he testified that his orders varied in severity from vandalism to arson or “ads,” as they were called One included instructions on how to set fire to a church in Ukraine Gļeb claimed he didn't know the client personally; he frequently changed his phone numbers and usernames (A separate criminal case in Latvia has been opened against Gļeb But Gļeb was just a link in a longer chain A more important link was another intermediary involved in Hodonovič's assignments Investigators started by analyzing the payments made to Hodonovičs for photographing the military airfield 630 euros had been transferred to him by a man named Timurs Timurs testified that he had lent his Revolut card to MOT whom he identified as a former classmate from the Latvian Maritime School Further investigation revealed that several other classmates had also lent their Revolut accounts to MOT The intermediary used these accounts to convert cryptocurrency received from another participant — “Alexander” — into euros to pay Hodonovičs and other operatives a district in Riga known for its brutalist Soviet-era apartment blocks and its large Russian-speaking population wearing a dark red sweater and sporting a close-cropped haircut he had received his instructions from yet another anonymous user on Telegram: the aforementioned “Alexander.” Alexander knew the legal names of everyone he connected with in this online wilderness of mirrors He demanded a copy of Griķis’s passport and a brief curriculum vitae you had to send your passport photo,” Griķis explained to the investigator Alexander requested permission to deposit cryptocurrency into Griķis's account Griķis earned about 10,000 euros in commission for his services (The total amounts transferred are not mentioned in the criminal case.) Griķis's role also included talent-spotting new operatives for tasks ordered by Alexander and vetting these agents for reliability Griķis received cryptocurrency in amounts between 500 and 2,000 euros which was often a high percentage of the agent’s own compensation — or even more than the agent while Hodonovičs earned 400 euros for photographing the Latvian military airfield Griķis received a 200 euro commission Griķis received 2,000 euros from Alexander Hodonovičs testified that he was paid 400 euros for the job The Kid boasted that defacing the Estonian Cyber Defence Center wasn’t his first job a month before Russia's all-out attack on Ukraine he’d traveled to Kyiv to throw a homemade Molotov cocktail into the ventilation shaft of a military facility The Latvians have since identified the Kid as Ivan Tarabanov His digital handlers sent him a PDF with instructions on how to make a Molotov cocktail and the need to take two sets of clothes — one dark-colored for committing the arson and one casual for slipping the scene undetected The handlers even bought him a plane ticket to Kyiv Tarabanov took a taxi from the airport to a nearby gas station to buy the petrol for the Molotov cocktail Tarabanov got scared and set fire only to the building’s exterior wall He then took a bus from Kyiv to Poland and from there returned to Riga The Ukrainian military facility targeted in the attempted attack has not been disclosed in the Lativan investigation “Our security services didn’t want to bother the Ukrainians too much,” prosecutor Salvis Skaistais told The Insider “They had enough on their plate with everything burning there already The war had begun.” A separate criminal case has been opened for arson Griķis testified that he coordinated with several other people whose contacts were provided by Alexander During the search of Griķis’s home investigators found several recordings of “job interviews.” In one a potential recruit mentioned being in Ukraine and expressed his willingness to commit arson for money Griķis mentioned that a Ukrainian citizen had traveled to Ukraine from Latvia to paint the Russian military symbol “Z” on unnamed structures Another person from Latvia agreed to throw a Molotov cocktail into a building but he chickened out completely and never went Alexander and Griķis sought both citizens and non-citizens to carry out these tasks The core requirement was that none of the subagents hold Russian citizenship which would arouse suspicions when entering Ukraine if not bar entry altogether Alexander was also looking for people to start fires in villa districts in France or to work in drug manufacturing labs in Russia Griķis found one recruit for the latter job The “business” had its downsides only for the “employee” to disappear drawing graffiti or taking photos doesn't seem that dangerous,” VDD chief Mežviets told The Insider “But throwing a Molotov cocktail into a house is something even people with criminal backgrounds won’t easily undertake.” Many “employees” have rough backgrounds and rap sheets “The criminal underworld is fertile ground for finding such people,” said Latvian State Police Chief Armands Ruks “If they have the inner conviction to commit crimes This was evident in the February arson attempt at Riga’s Museum of the Occupation dedicated to memorializing the victims of the Soviet occupation of Latvia The assailants — two men and one woman — broke the window of the museum director’s office with a hammer and tossed a Molotov cocktail into the building Police soon found one of the culprits — he left his mask and gloves at the scene and his DNA was already in the police database due to previous drug offenses It was soon revealed that one of the men was recruited through a Telegram channel managed by an inmate in one of Latvia’s largest prisons Mobile phones are technically banned in prisons but lapses in enforcing this restriction are notorious Latvian Interior Minister Rihards Kozlovskis described the attack on the Museum of the Occupation as part of Russia's hybrid war and emphasized the symbolic significance of the chosen target “If the rescue service had not arrived in time which would have caused a significant public outcry and achieved the intended goal,” Kozlovskis said the ringleader intermediary of the Latvian spy ring This remains one of the biggest unanswered questions in the Hodonovičs case Griķis testified that he had never met Alexander in person but that they had spoken on the phone Alexander mentioned his real name was Vadim and that he hailed from Dnipro He claimed to be 25 years old and a chef by trade The Latvian case files do not contain documents proving Alexander’s affiliation with the GRU That assumption is based on information provided by Latvian security services Prosecutor Salvis Skaistais explained to The Insider that both Griķis and Hodonovičs had confessed to engaging in espionage for Russian special services indicating they knew who they were working for Hodonovičs was asked by an investigator about photographing the airfield: “But you realized this is a military site “but he said it wouldn’t be sent to anyone that no useful information could be obtained from it anyway.” the judge sentenced Griķis to three years in prison and Hodonovičs to two years and eight months who set fire to the military facility in Kyiv testified that he did not know about Alexander’s connection to the GRU He thought him a mere gangster who intimidated people if they failed to carry out the crimes he paid them to do The court verdict in this case is expected in the autumn and Griķis — declined interviews with The Insider the chief of Latvia’s VDD security service said that creating long chains of go-betweens for task execution is a deliberate strategy of the Russian special services as it complicates the efforts of law enforcement to trace their provenance A source familiar with the case suggested that Alexander might not be a GRU officer himself but rather an unwitting agent recruited by Russian military intelligence to scout others in foreign countries Latvian State Police Chief Armands Ruks also explained that operatives are intentionally recruited from other countries to confuse or complicate law enforcement “We don't have border control,” Ruks said “A person comes in as if on a business trip and leaves It's also harder to trace their past if they're not from Latvia.” To bolster security surveillance cameras have increasingly been installed on national highways in Latvia a bespoke assassination and sabotage squad have been responsible for more than a decade of mischief blowing up ammunition and weapons storage facilities across Europe and poisoning Sergei Skripal using a Russian-made military grade nerve agent Unit 29155’s ability to travel to EU and NATO territories — even under false identities — has been eliminated thanks largely to The Insider’s work exposing their operations and unmasking their cadres the GRU has begun to rely on amateurs and hirelings to do its dirty work a development that will no doubt lead to sloppy or botched operations and thus increase the likelihood of collateral damage One Russian-Ukrainian saboteur immolated himself in June in his hotel room in France while constructing a homemade bomb European security services are intensifying cooperation at the international level a dual Estonian-Russian citizen was detained at the Latvian-Belarusian border for defacing national memorial sites in Latvia and Lithuania The arsonists who targeted Lithuania's IKEA were detained in Poland Latvian Prime Minister Evika Siliņa expressed gratitude to the VDD for collaborating with Polish and Baltic services This followed the arrest of nine Russian spies in Poland connected to sabotage plans in the Baltics “The detention of the Russian special services group is a very good result of our services' cooperation,” Siliņa said “The services have been monitoring these activities for a long time and have prevented several operations by groups working for Russia as well as multiple crimes in our territory.” Šarūnas Čerņauskas from Siena (Latvia) Anastasiia Morozova from Vsquare (Poland) contributed to this investigation We really need your help! 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Сделано в Charmer устарел и не позволяет корректно отображать сайт Take note – story published 2 years and 2 months ago A special ceremony took place at the Lielvārde air force base to show off the choppers which was attended by Defense inister Ināra Mūrniece National Armed Forces commander Lieutenant-General Leonīds Kalniņš ambassador to Latvia Christopher Robinson and air force commander Colonel  Viesturs Masulis The acquisition process has been a fairly lengthy one the Cabinet of Ministers supported the purchase of four Black Hawk helicopters worth approximately 175 million euros concluding an intergovernmental agreement with the USA. The contract includes the purchase of helicopters and necessary equipment support for the implementation of the system and the introduction of airworthiness and operational procedures in accordance with U.S NATO fighters have used military airfields in Šiauliai as their main bases when patrolling the Baltic airspace But now the Latvian Air Force base has also undergone major upgrades Lielvārde has become home to NATO fighter aircraft while renovation work continues at Ämari in Estonia.  The main day-to-day task of the NATO Baltic Air Policing Mission is to deter Russian aircraft from attempting to enter the airspace of Latvia and to ensure that aircraft comply with aviation regulations when in international airspace over the Baltic Sea The number of violations has remained constant for years with NATO fighters having to respond on average 2-3 times a week Five German Air Force Eurofighters are based in Lielvārde this year which is very low for a fighter and allows it to take off faster and maneuver better These particular ones have German-built engines with 60,000 horsepower and can reach speeds of 2,500 km/h "From Lielvārde we can reach Tallinn in Estonia in 6-8 minutes," said the commander The distance between Lielvārde and Tallinn is around 350 kilometers The standard armament consists of two AMRAAM long-range missiles and various defense mechanisms to protect against enemy weapons The cost of one such aircraft without armament is at least €100 million To fully accommodate and maintain such expensive technology the Lielvārde base has undergone a series of infrastructure improvements Around 200 German and 100 Latvian soldiers are taking care of the Eurofighter in Lielvārde "Our infrastructure capacity has taken a huge step forward to be able to host armored fighters at Lielvārde airfield all the personnel who are providing us with this capability have gained and are still gaining a tremendous amount of experience with the Eurofighter," said Colonel Viesturs Masulis Commander of the National Armed Forces (NBS) Air Force Take note – story published 1 year and 2 months ago For the next nine months, Latvia will be hosting NATO's Baltic Air Policing Mission while the host base in Ämari, Estonia is undergoing extensive renovations The other base of the mission, in Šiauliai, Lithuania About 200 German military personnel have arrived with their aircraft the Germans inspected the Lielvārde air force base. Although the base was in good shape it was not quite up to their standards at the time.  "We talked to the base commander and the people who work here we told them what we needed and what we could provide perfectly provided with the things a soldier needs and a perfect opportunity," says the commander of the German rotation the Germans were also presented with Latvia's trademark - rye bread and honey - as a welcome gift Allies with suitable aircraft take turns deploying to air bases at Šiauliai and Ämari on a four-month rotational basis, ready to be launched by NATO’s Combined Air Operations Centre Uedem When the three Baltic States joined NATO in 2004, a NATO Air Policing capability was established at Šiauliai Air Base after Russia’s illegal and illegitimate annexation of Crimea a second Air Policing presence was established at Ämari Air Base Estonia under NATO’s Assurance Measures to its Eastern Allies but also patrol the airspace near the Russian-Belarusian border In response to Russia's all-out invasion of Ukraine and increased the number of soldiers and planes on the mission since last March A a result of Latvia's new role hosting planes allied fighters will be seen and heard more often in Latvian airspace and the public should take this into account function () { LSM.articles.prepareVideoWithCover('vc-2679-2024-03-1081390'); });NATO misija Lielvarde (1)1min Take note – story published 9 years and 7 months ago The skies were busy over central Latvia Tuesday with old-school A-10 Warthog ground attack aircraft and ultra-modern MQ-1 Predator drones vying for airspace at the Lielvarde airbase military personnel and press converged on the newly-renovated facility to view the Predator in action on its first ever deployment in Europe - with US brass underlining that Lielvarde is currently the only European facility capable of handling Predators on an ongoing basis The drone performed a series of fly-bys to an audience of military and political dignitaries with a duo of A-10s also landing in a convincing show of force unlikely to be received warmly in the Kremlin function () { LSM.articles.prepareVideoWithCover('vc-6812-2015-09-217279'); });US MQ-1 Predator drone at Lielvarde Latvian President Raimonds Vejonis told LSM: “It's important to train for inter-operability between NATO partners It's a good example of smart defense that we can use equipment that we don't currently have.” He added that Latvia was considering purchasing its own drones – though he did not specify of what type saying: “According to our air defence development plan we have ideas to buy some UAVs (unmanned airborne vehicles) but when depends on how we will invest in our defense budget.” The Lielvarde base - originally built for Soviet bombers - has been extensively overhauled to make it the only one in Europe capable of hosting Predator drones on a permanent basis though the current deployment is due to last just two weeks and involves familiarizing intelligence staff from NATO allies with the aircraft's capabilities and controls “This is a really historic day for Latvia – it's the first time this system has been deployed in Europe and I'm really proud that Latvia is hosting this aircraft It took three years of hard work,” Latvian Defense Minister Raimonds Bergmanis told the press The pilotless MQ-1 Predator has a range of 2,000 nautical miles with a top speed of 135 mph Though the two currently deployed in Latvia are not carrying weapons they are capable of carrying armaments including Hellfire missiles as well as carrying out intelligence and reconnaissance missions US Major General Eric Vollmecke told LSM the primary purpose of the Predator was for "incident awareness" which regained their independence in 1991 after 50 years of Soviet occupation and joined NATO in 2004 are wary of Russia in the wake of its military intervention in Ukraine and aggressive rhetoric Newly-appointed US ambassador to Latvia Nancy Bikoff Pettit quoting President Barack Obama's speech in Tallinn a year ago said the US was committed to defending its NATO allies “Article 5 is crystal clear – an attack on one is an attack on all,” Pettit told reporters Tuesday's showcase came less than a week after US F-22 Raptor fighters visited Estonia for the first time Take note – story published 9 years and 10 months ago Paratroopers from the US and Latvian armies show off their skills at the Lielvarde airbase in central Latvia in a new video released by the Latvian Armed Forces (NBS) All the action takes place as part of the current 'Saber Strike' training exercises this video contains a riff-heavy generic hard rock soundtrack Story by Allied Air Command Public Affairs Office only hours after going “on status” for conducting NATO Air Policing out of Lielvarde Air Base two German Air Force Eurofighter jets took off for the first ever alert scramble out of Latvia to meet two Russian military aircraft flying close to NATO territory off the Latvian coast over international waters Do you enjoy our website? Wonderful! If you’d like to support us, consider buying us a coffee – Buy Me a Coffee The Latvian Control and Reporting Centre recorded a track of non-NATO aircraft off the Latvian coast and reported that to the Combined Air Operations Centre at Uedem the decision was taken to alert the German Eurofighters at Lielvarde on their first day of Air Policing duties and the jets took off for the first ever alert scramble out of the base the German pilots received further details about their mission and they approached Russian military aircraft which were operating over the Baltic Sea The Russian aircrew did not use a flight plan were not in contact with Civilian Air Traffic Control and did not use transponder to indicate their identity Once the German pilots conducted a visual identification and confirmed the aircraft type finished their mission and returned to Lielvarde Air Base The event was a routine interception conducted in a professional manner “This first alert take-off of German Eurofighters from Lielvarde showcases NATO’s ability and commitment to deter and if necessary defend Allied airspace We are aware and ready 24/7 of potential threats to our territory,” said Colonel Viesturs Masulis “The NATO Air Policing command and control procedures for Lielvarde and the German Detachment were established on February 29 2024 and within one day all participants confirmed their capability to respond professionally and swiftly to an alert situation at NATO’s borders in the region We are proud demonstration of collective cooperation,” he concluded We use cookies to enhance your browsing experience We use cookies to help you navigate efficiently and perform certain functions You will find detailed information about all cookies under each consent category below The cookies that are categorized as "Necessary" are stored on your browser as they are essential for enabling the basic functionalities of the site We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze how you use this website and provide the content and advertisements that are relevant to you These cookies will only be stored in your browser with your prior consent You can choose to enable or disable some or all of these cookies but disabling some of them may affect your browsing experience Necessary cookies are required to enable the basic features of this site such as providing secure log-in or adjusting your consent preferences These cookies do not store any personally identifiable data Functional cookies help perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website These cookies help provide information on metrics such as the number of visitors Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with customized advertisements based on the pages you visited previously and to analyze the effectiveness of the ad campaigns A Russian unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) which entered Latvian airspace via Belarus on Saturday was an incident which likely did not require deploying NATO jets in response an Estonian Air Force (Õhuvägi) spokesperson has said Air Force spokesperson Siim Verner Teder told ERR: "An unidentified aircraft being detected first means various factors are analyzed and then a tactical decision gets made on the deployment of air policing fighters." an unknown aircraft – be it a drone or a human-piloted plane or helicopter – the strict recommendation is that a visual identification is carried out and that identification is done from the air "This ensures that the target is indeed a military one," he noted A Shahed-type drone operated by Russia crashed in Latvia's eastern Rezekne region after entering that country's airspace from Belarus early on Saturday morning The UAV and its crash site was immediately located since it had been tracked by Latvian air defense systems as soon as it crossed the border said the UAV was not directly aimed at Latvia Latvian defense forces are conducting an investigation to determine whether the UAV crashed or its own systems caused it to land Latvia's Minister of Defense Andris Spruds (Progressives) told Latvian Television's "Morning Panorama" show on Tuesday that an investigation had been launched not only into the case, but also into "whether alternatives could have been considered," adding that there were certain challenges in identifying drones, LSM reported A similar incident in Romania on the very same day resulted in two F-16 jet fighters being scrambled, Reuters reported Sunday Romania shares a 650-km border with Ukraine and has had Russian drone fragments stray into its territory repeatedly over the past year The German Air Force currently holds the NATO Baltic air policing mission based at Lielvarde Air Base in Latvia The NATO mission also flies out of Šiauliai Follow ERR News on Facebook and Twitter and never miss an update! 0)" class="article-poll-disclaimer" ng-bind="totalVotes + ' hääletajat'"> {{option.votes}} {{selectedLanguage.poll.votes}}/ Iga kasutaja võib hääletada {{poll.optionLimit}} vastusevariandi poolt the final of the IV International Contest for Young Singers of Christmas Songs took place at Daugavpils Unity House concert hall The first Contest round was held remotely and the winners in 4 categories were announced while the second round - the final - was held in person and the winners of the four main prizes were announced ensembles and choirs in different age groups from 5 countries - Bulgaria Latvia Moldova and Ukraine - took part in the Contest.  In December the first round of the Contest was held remotely - participants sent in video recordings of songs in one of the Contest's five categories: traditional original Christmas song contemporary Christmas song and Christmas song by Latvian author The performances were judged by vocal music experts from four countries - Latvia Training choir of Daugavpils Music Secondary school n.a.Stanislavs Broks Podilsk Chamber Choir "LEONTOVYCH-CAPELA" Vinnytsia Regional Philharmonic named after M Children's Choir “BELCANTO” Children's School of Arts named after "E pedagogue Zaiga Lazdiņa – Radziņa (Rīga Riga State 1st Gymnasium Mixed Choir “Frekvence” The second round of the Contest – the final gathered 17 contestants who had won I level diplomas in I Round The main prizes were awarded in four categories: best soloist or duet under 14 The main prize winners also received cash prizes The performances were judged by vocal music experts from Latvia and Lithuania The best soloist up to 14 years of age – Agnese Dzalbe The best soloist or duet up to 25 years of age – Melisa Gribonika The best children choir up to 15 years of age – Vilnius Jesuit High School Mixed Youth Choir "Krantas" The best youth choir up to 25 years of age – Jelgava 4th Secondary School Girls Choir “Spīgo” Two special prizes were also awarded – Riga State 1st Gymnasium mixed choir "Frekvence" (Riga) received the special prize of the Unity House for performing a song by Latvian author while pedagogue Baiba Klepere (Lielvārde) received the special prize of the Opportunities Secondary School for high pedagogical excellence Anyone interested can see the best performances of the first round online - on the YouTube channel "Latvian Contests" in the form of video recordings.  The IV International Contest for Young Singers of Christmas Songs is organized by the Daugavpils Municipality Department of Culture in cooperation with Daugavpils Unity House Initially International Contest for Young Singers of Christmas Songs was part of the International Festival of Sacred Music "Silver Bells" it has evolved and since 2021 has become an independent event organized every second year  GALLERY Daugavpils City Municipality Department of Culture t.: 654 23601, e-mail: viktorija.cirse@daugavpils.lv www.daugavpils.lv/kultura/ t.: 29538278, e-mail: latviancontests@inbox.lv Daugavpils valstpilsētas pašvaldības iestāde "Vienības nams" Rīgas iela 22a , Daugavpils, LV-5401 Telefons: +371 65428300 Fakss: +371 65426000 Created LatInSoft Take note – story published 6 years and 11 months ago “We used to ski across the river when it was frozen like this – the track was on the other side from the school,” he says outside Lielvārde Middle School “If I had been at a different school I might still have ended up in computers – but for sure it wouldn't have been in financial technologies,” says Juris on the spot where thirty years ago he was among a select few able to study a new subject that some people believed was even more important than learning to drive a tractor: computing “It was quite hard for a boy from the country to get into computers I got a scholarship from the kolkhoz (collective farm) and this was one of only two places outside Riga where you could study computing Luckily I had a great teacher who eventually became involved with a bank and recommended me to them I even know what he said to them: 'He's good but he can be kind of lazy...' laughs Juris That led to more than a decade's experience building IT systems for Latvia's nascent banking sector following the re-establishment of independence in 1991 all the while building up more contacts and impressing more clients before the decision was taken to start D8 Corporation on April 1st Initially that April Fool's Day date seemed a bit too prophetic “Basically we spent our money within a year on the wrong project - accounting systems We realized we needed to stick to what we were good at – banking and retail – and used our existing contacts from working with the banks to build the business Now we have 75 employees and operate in 28 countries worldwide from four offices We're very interested in Kazakhstan right now.” D8 currently has 10 different product lines providing cutting-edge payment software and solutions to banks and other financial institutions with comprehensive support services The company also works closely with the world's largest FinTec company tehnologically-driven nature of modern society personal connections and face-to-face meetings that surface time and again as a major element in D8 Corporation's success and Juris' own personal story “We had a situation with a client in the Dominican Republic where their system would slow down as everyone made deposits and withdrawals on payday Technically you could handle it from Rīga but you have to prove to management that you are committed to finding the solution and that's difficult if you are not on site,” explains Juris “That's one way there has been a real transformation in me At school I was not what you would call outgoing I was quiet and reserved like a lot of people in IT But I realised I needed to change that in business I didn't finish it because I just had too much work but it was useful in allowing me to measure myself against others and it showed me that I was not so different after all.” Good to see you again!” says a jovial fellow with his son in the passenger seat He shakes hands with Juris before rolling up the window and driving off “He was a classmate of mine,” Juris smiles “I haven't seen him for twenty years.” It just proves again that even when you're involved in large-scale international business a small-town upbringing is something worth having Juris pauses for a moment and reflects: “Now that I think of it more than half of our team come from the countryside.” The Red Jackets unites the best exporting brands from Latvia with top-notch products These are brands rooted in Latvia and the movement aims to spread the word about Latvia through its brands Supporters of the Red Jackets movement include the European Commission representation in Latvia and ALTUM state-owned development finance institution Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker This work, Michigan Air National Guard and Latvia Collaborate on Airfield Capabilities, by TSgt Bethany Rizor, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright Five German Air Force Eurofighter jets touched down at Lielvarde Air Base in Latvia on February 26 2024 where they will support NATO’s enhanced Air Policing for the Baltic States in the coming months “We are looking forward to this mission; for the first time NATO is using Lielvarde for the Baltic Air Policing mission and we will provide the interceptors for the mission,” said Lieutenant Colonel Swen Jacob our detachment is ready for the final inspection of the set-up at Lielvarde by NATO’s Combined Air Operations Centre (CAOC) from Uedem we will be available for mission execution Closely integrated with the Host Nation Latvia our Belgian and French colleagues deployed in Lithuania and the air controllers at the CAOC and the regional Control and Reporting Centres we will demonstrate NATO’s commitment to collective deterrence and defence,” he added “Together with Latvia’s outstanding supportive team at Lielvarde the members of an advance party of our German Air Force have prepared the base for the arrival of the jets in harsh Baltic winter conditions – it was a truly multinational build-up,” explained Lieutenant Colonel Jacob the NATO mission temporarily moves to Latvia and from March 1 on the German Eurofighters will be ready to take off to safeguard the skies in the Baltic Sea region They will augment NATO’s Air Policing capability Belgian F-16s and French Mirage 2000-5s provide at Šiauliai the German contribution to NATO’s Baltic Air Policing includes a deployable Control and Reporting Centre that has been set up at Ämari This unit is integrated into the Air Surveillance and Control network in the region Latvia and Lithuania joined the Alliance – NATO Allies have collectively ensure the territorial integrity of the Baltic member Nations the Baltic Air Policing mission and all Allies contributing to that mission have sent a strong message of NATO commitment the Lielvarde military airfield in Latvia became the third NATO base where allied fighters conducting the NATO Baltic Air Policing mission over Estonia The Lielvarde base became the new location for NATO fighters as the Ämari Air Base in Estonia is undergoing repairs the base officially took on the role of NATO's regional air policing service Due to the runway and infrastructure work at Ämari Air Base which will continue until the end of the year in close cooperation with Estonia and Germany established the structural conditions in Lielvarde for 24/7 NATO rapid response readiness The mission will be carried out by a German Eurofighter unit until November An inspection team from NATO's Combined Air Operations Centre (CAOC) in Uedem responsible for overseeing alliance air policing across Northern Europe officially confirmed that the command and control process in Lielvarde meets the required level from the first alert through to takeoff and mission completion report "This is a memorable day for Latvia and NATO NATO air policing activities are being conducted from Lielvarde airbase," said Latvian Defense Minister Andris Spruds "We are grateful to all allies who have contributed their forces to the mission of protecting NATO airspace and our people The air domain is crucial for the deterrence and defense activities of the allies The ability to carry out the mission from multiple locations clearly shows that NATO's integrated air and missile defense is quick and reliable in protecting our airspace," he added "For almost 20 years – since the accession of Estonia Latvia and Lithuania to NATO in 2004 – the Baltic states have been part of collective defense and this mission has now reached Lielvarde one in each Baltic ally," said CAOC Uedem Commander "Both Latvia and Germany have done outstanding work in timely preparing the airbase for the arrival of the fighters as evidenced yesterday when the German unit was able to conduct its first scramble just a few hours after its official status." he added referring to the first German takeoff from Lielvarde to intercept Russian military aircraft over the Baltic Sea stated that the NATO Baltic Air Policing mission plays a crucial role in deterring potential threats protecting the integrity of the airspace and promoting stability in the region The introduction of the Lielvarde airbase allows NATO to continue operating from two air bases for regional air policing a German deployable control and reporting center will be stationed at Ämari Air Base enhancing NATO's surveillance and command capabilities in the Baltic Sea region from mid-March to the end of June German air traffic controllers will be integrated into the control and reporting centers of Estonia Three US Chinook transport helicopters arrived at the Lielvarde airbase in central Latvia this week The helicopters have been sent as part of the Atlantic Resolve mission and will participate in military exercises in Latvia and the Baltics The helicopters will be based in Lielvarde and will be deployed to Latvia for several months The helicopters have been deployed to Latvia to help strengthen the country's security The helicopters will participate in their first military exercise later this months during the Summer Shield exercise in Latvia There are also currently five US Blackhawk helicopters based in Lielvarde as well This work, Latvian Prime Minister Visits 1st CAB Soldiers on Lielvarde Air Base, by MAJ Matthew St Clair, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content German air force fighter jets have intercepted Russian aircraft reportedly operating "without a flight plan and radio contact" above the Baltic Sea This is responsible for all air policing in European NATO airspace north of the Alps—including control of NATO's Baltic Air Policing operation The German air force was aided by NATO ally Finland which conducted a quick-reaction alert (QRA) to identify the aircraft The Russian planes were identified as an Ilyushin Il-20 Coot and an Antonov An-12 Cub D In April, Poland's Armed Forces Operational Command said Polish aircraft had intercepted a Russian Il-20 twice in less than a week The plane was flying in international airspace over the Baltic Sea performing reconnaissance missions though it did not fly over Polish territorial waters The Baltic Sea has garnered renewed importance for Russia since its 2022 invasion of Ukraine pressuring NATO countries bordering the sea including Estonia NATO said that more than 90,000 military personnel 50 ships and 1,100 combat vehicles from its 32 member nations participated in its Steadfast Defender 24 exercise between January and May service members joined roughly 23,000 multinational service members from more than 20 allied and partner nations as part of the exercise between May 28-31 the largest such exercise since the Cold War new NATO member Sweden announced it is finalizing an agreement with the U.S and craft a new national security strategy that factors in its 31 new treaty allies "This is a direct consequence of Russia's illegal unprovoked full-scale invasion of Ukraine," Swedish Defense Minister Pål Jonson told reporters earlier this month "This is the mother of all unintended consequences for Russian strategic thinking." ET: This story was updated with additional information Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground Newsletters in your inbox See all This work, Director of Army Aviation visits US Soldiers at Lielvarde, by SGT Shiloh Capers, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright This work, Opening ceremony for Michigan Guardsmen and Latvian soldiers takes center stage at Lielvarde Air Base, by SGT Alexandria Jones, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright This work, Michigan-Latvia partnership continues with emergency response exercise at NATO airbase, by Capt. Andrew Layton, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright