The statement by the head of the State Security Service, Normunds Mezviets, that a possible new invasion by Russia would mean not only the end of Latvian statehood but also a physical threat to the people, is not a strong exaggeration. This opinion was expressed by Janis Sarts, who called for more careful consideration of loud predictions and to look at what was said before Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
In the broadcast of the TV24 program "Person of the Day with Velta Purina," the director of the NATO Strategic Communications Centre of Excellence, Janis Sarts, urged careful assessment of information and close attention to what is being said in the public space.
Commenting on the recent statement by the head of the State Security Service, Normunds Mezviets, in an interview with the British newspaper The Telegraph — "If the Russians come here for the third time, it will not only be the end of our statehood, Latvia as a state, our sovereignty, it will also be the end of Latvian ethnic identity... they will kill us all," — Sarts said: "Firstly, it was a British newspaper, and there is a different audience there, although we understand that today, saying something to one audience, you will be heard by another. The essence was that we are aware of our risks and therefore act. Of course, this is also a vivid epithet, but if we speak from the perspective of probability theory, looking at what and how Russia is doing in Ukraine, as well as what its plans were regarding the elite at the beginning of the full-scale invasion, I do not think Mr. Mezviets is exaggerating much."
Sarts understands the anxiety and outrage of society over Mezviets' words, but believes that people should always be told what they think and how they see the situation, so that there is not an even greater shock later.
"These are the probabilities we face, and of course, we must do everything to prevent this from happening, but this is the reality."
Janis Sarts also urged careful assessment of information that appears in the media of different countries, and to understand who is really an expert and who is not, he suggested looking at what these people said in January 2022. "Did they say that Russia would attack Ukraine or not? My observation is this: those who are now shouting that the Baltics will be under threat are the ones who claimed back then that Ukraine would not be attacked. And those who said that an attack on Ukraine would happen are now silent. Therefore, we need to monitor information very carefully.
