The situation at the Latvian-Russian border is calm: there have been no illegal attempts to cross the border, and no unusual situations or presence of suspicious groups have been detected nearby, confirmed Kristine Petersone, spokesperson for the State Border Guard (GPO), to the LETA agency.
"The situation in Latvia is different from that in Estonia, as Latvia does not have roads that intrude into the territory of Russia or Belarus at any point," said Petersone.
She also reminded that there has been a hybrid threat at the Latvian-Belarusian border for several years, but the situation is currently stable and under control.
Border Guard officials are performing their duties with full dedication and are monitoring the external border of Latvia and the EU every minute, emphasized Petersone.
As reported, on Friday evening, the Estonian Police and Border Guard Department temporarily closed traffic on the so-called Saatse Boot at the eastern border due to the observation of a larger-than-usual military unit moving in Russian territory.
The "Saatse Boot" is a section of Russian territory that juts into the Estonian county of Võru. It includes approximately a kilometer-long stretch of road used by locals to avoid a detour via the ring road.
The department released a video showing seven armed men standing on the road.
Traffic on the road, which partially runs through the Pskov region of Russia, was blocked to prevent possible provocations and ensure the safety of Estonian citizens.
Estonia demanded explanations from Russia regarding the observed increased activity, to which the response was that nothing is happening and that Russia is taking "normal measures."
Estonian Interior Minister Igor Taro stated on Saturday evening that, according to the latest information, Russian armed formations have left the vicinity of the Saatse Boot; however, movement through this territory will be closed at least until Tuesday.
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