Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) has claimed that Latvia has allegedly allowed Ukraine to carry out strikes against Russia from Latvian territory, according to Dialog.ua, citing Russian media reports.
The SVR claims that Kyiv “persuaded” Riga to permit the use of its territory for “strikes against Russia.” For this purpose, personnel from the Ukrainian Armed Forces (UAF) allegedly arrived in Latvia.
Russian intelligence services further claim that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy “wants to demonstrate to Europe the continued combat potential of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and their ability to damage the Russian economy.” The SVR statement also asserted that “the coordinates of decision-making centers in Latvia are known.”
THE KREMLIN ALSO THREATENS THAT LATVIA’S NATO MEMBERSHIP WILL NOT PROTECT IT FROM “JUST RETRIBUTION.”
This is not the first time Russia has openly threatened the Baltic states. For example, in April this year, Sergei Shoigu stated that Moscow was considering exercising its “right to self-defense” if it were confirmed that Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, or Finland were knowingly allowing their airspace to be used for Ukrainian attacks against Russia.
The statement by Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service regarding Latvia came shortly after the Russian Ministry of Defense announced nuclear exercises under “conditions of aggression threats,” scheduled to take place from the 19th to the 21st of May. More than 64,000 military personnel and over 7,800 pieces of military equipment reportedly took part in the exercises.
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