Ukraine war drives Latvia to accelerate air defence upgrades, military chief says

Latvia has only in recent years begun making significant investments in its air defence capabilities, the commander of the country’s armed forces said on Monday (May 25), highlighting gaps in detection coverage and the need for new systems following Russia’s war in Ukraine.

The Commander of the National Armed Forces, Kaspars Pudāns, told Latvijas Radio that more substantial investment in air defence began over the past three to five years, effectively after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, LRT reports.

He said Latvia’s air defence units have largely been positioned to protect major cities, leaving uneven detection coverage elsewhere in the country, which could allow incidents such as the recent case of an unidentified drone that crashed into Lake Drīdzis in Latgale and later exploded after going undetected.

Pudāns said Latvia needs additional radar systems, stronger acoustic detection capabilities and other technological upgrades to improve its air surveillance network.

He added that the armed forces would soon receive new radar systems selected with input from Ukraine, where the war has accelerated the development of counter-drone technologies.

He also noted that Ukrainian forces have only recently begun sharing and commercialising some of their military technologies with partner countries.

Pudāns said Latvia is also introducing a tiered public warning system, including a “yellow” alert level designed to signal potential risks without requiring immediate action from the public, reflecting the broader impact of security alerts on daily life and the economy.

By Aghakazim Guliyev