Latvia Declares State of Emergency at Border with Russia

The Latvian government has declared a state of emergency at the border with Russia due to the mobilization announced by Moscow. The regime will take effect from September 28 and will last for three months, according to the government’s website.

The regime applies to several regions of the country, including ports, airports, border crossings, and railways. In an effort to reduce the influx of Russian citizens, the authorities are closing the Pededze border crossing. The country’s state border service has been instructed to strengthen control over Russian citizens crossing the border.

Earlier, Latvia decided not to issue humanitarian visas to Russians who want to avoid conscription or to prevent those who already hold Schengen visas from crossing the border. The foreign ministry explained this decision by citing