The State Border Guard needs to carefully follow and be prepared to respond to possible provocations from Russian mercenary group Wagner, stressed Latvia’s President Edgars Rinkēvičs during his visit to the headquarters of the State Border Guard in Riga on Monday, the 31st of July.
The State President’s Chancellery Media Centre Communications specialist Elīna Kresa says during his visit, Rinkēvičs met with the State Border Guard higher-ups and other workers. Together they discussed the situation on the state border and in the country in general.
The president was presented with the situation with the progress in the construction of infrastructure along the state border shared with Belarus and Russia.
Rinkēvičs plans to visit the state border with Belarus and Russia on the 8th of August in order to observe the border infrastructure process in person.
“Considering the security situation in our region, this is especially important, because everyday attempts to cross our country’s border have not stopped. I would also like to have a look at the border guards’ day to day work and other activities, equipment used and the challenges they face every day.
I am convinced that only a strong border guard with professionals loyal to the state can guarantee our country’s resilience,” said the president.
Last week, Poland’s PM Mateusz Morawiecki announced that more than 100 Belarus-based Wagner Group mercenaries were relocated to an area close to the Suwalki corridor not far from the Polish and Lithuanian border.
According to him Wagner mercenaries may attempt to enter Poland pretending to be illegal migrants, which creates additional risks.
After the appearance of Wagner mercenary camp in Belarus, Poland decided to deploy additional forces on its eastern border.
Ukrainian State Border Guard Service reports that approximately 5 000 Wagner mercenaries are already in Belarus.
For several weeks the future of Wagner Groups was murky after its founder Yevgeny Prigozhin’s organised armed mutiny attempt. The mutiny was put down and Prigozhin and Wagner Group were offered asylum in Belarus in June.
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