BZS: The security risks created by Russia for Latvia are significantly increasing 0 16

BZS emphasizes that Russia's goal is to weaken the West at both state and international levels. In recent years, the perception of the West as an existential threat to the Russian regime has intensified, and Russia sees itself as engaged in direct confrontation with the West - both in Ukraine and globally, and ideologically. As a result, security risks in Europe are rising.

The intelligence service notes that Russia continues to adapt and develop hybrid tools, including increasingly actively using legal mechanisms on the international stage to discredit Latvia and achieve long-term international pressure on its policy towards Russia.

According to BZS, Russia will continue to pose a military threat to neighboring countries and NATO, and the militarization of its economy will persist even after the war in Ukraine is concluded or frozen. The bureau emphasizes that Russia's perception of Latvia is becoming similar to how it viewed Ukraine before the war began.

BZS Director Egils Zvidris states that the threat has increased, although he refrains from naming specific timelines for an attack. "The threats from Russia to the West will remain high, so it is necessary to work purposefully to reduce them, as well as to be prepared for possible attempts to influence the upcoming Saeima elections in Latvia," noted Zvidris.

The annual report of BZS covers issues of counterintelligence, cybersecurity, intelligence, and the protection of classified information, as well as domestic and foreign policy trends in Russia and third countries. The classified part of the BZS report will be reviewed by the Cabinet of Ministers and the Saeima National Security Commission, along with the approval of BZS's activities for 2026.