Latvia may close borders with Russia and Belarus during Zapad military exercises

The Latvian Saeima has voted to completely close the country's borders with Russia and Belarus during the joint military exercise Zapad. About reported on the official website of the Sejm.

70 deputies voted in favor of the draft decision to completely close Latvia's borders with Russia and Belarus, 13 voted against it, and one abstained. The draft law was sent to the National Security Commission for consideration.

In the explanatory note to the project indicatedthat during joint exercises between Russia and Belarus in 2022, Russia launched a full-scale war against Ukraine.

The Latvian MPs emphasized that Belarus is Russia's closest ally in the war against Ukraine and that Russia is conducting attacks from its territory.

The deputies also mentioned an act of aggression against Poland, when drones from Belarus invaded the country's airspace, which they called an "unprecedented violation."

The note emphasized that such attacks pose a real threat to Polish and EU citizens and demonstrate "the expansion of Russian aggression in NATO member states."

The Latvian Saeima instructed the country's prime minister to immediately adopt a decision of the Cabinet of Ministers to completely close the border during the exercise.

• on September 11, Poland introduced a special flight restriction zone along the border with Ukraine and Belarus for three months. In particular, the use of civilian drones is prohibited prohibited both day and night.
• on August 21, it was reported that Lithuania closes its airspace along part of the border with Belarus amid incidents of drone infiltration and the West 2025 exercise.
• on September 11, it became known that Poland would concentrate its the border of approximately 40,000 military personnel during the exercises of Russia and Belarus.