The first strike by a potential enemy will not be carried out by railway; however, the railway infrastructure will be relied upon for supplying enemy forces in subsequent stages if the first strike is successful, stated the commander of the National Armed Forces (NAF) Kaspars Pudiņš in an interview with the LETA agency.
In response to a question about the position of the National Armed Forces (NAF) regarding whether the rails should be dismantled at the eastern border, Pudiņš said that since there have been state defense plans, it is provided that in the event of a threat, one of the tasks is to dismantle or damage mobility infrastructure and set up barriers to prevent the enemy from gaining advantages. These measures include the dismantling of railway infrastructure.
"We understand very well - although the first strike by the enemy will not be delivered by railway, it will then serve as the basis for supplying enemy forces in subsequent stages if the first strike is successful. When the creation of the Baltic defense line began, we were given the rights to plan various activities and place obstacles in several locations, which has already been done," said the commander of the NAF.
Pudiņš noted that the NAF has action plans in case of a military threat - what will be done regarding the railway when the enemy has already attacked or is close to launching an attack. At the same time, the NAF calls on other parties to conduct an assessment and develop a more detailed plan - under what conditions, who, and what decisions will be made.
When asked whether there would be enough time to dismantle the rails in case of a threat, the commander of the NAF replied that this is indeed the main question and it can be understood by practicing various scenarios in exercises and testing the capabilities of the NAF.
Defense Minister Andris Sprūds reported this week on Latvian television that work is currently underway on a detailed plan to ensure the impassability of roads and railways at the eastern border immediately if necessary.
In turn, Prime Minister Evika Siliņa told reporters that the issue of railway tracks towards Russia was informally discussed in the government.
