Latvia launches Operation Werewolf against illegal migration
On August 11, Latvia launched Operation Vilkatis ("Werewolf"), aimed at combating illegal migration. It will continue until the end of August, Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs said.
According to LSM English, the operation is an information-sharing mechanism between various state institutions coordinated by the Crisis Management Centre of the State Chancellery. The State Border Guard, State Police and the Latvian National Armed Forces are primarily involved in its implementation.
Colonel Arvis Zile, head of the Crisis Management Centre, stated that pressure from illegal migration is regarded in the country as a hybrid threat, so countering it requires interaction among several sectors. Defence Minister Raivis Melnis noted that deploying military personnel at the border alone is insufficient and that the problem should be addressed using modern technologies.
The Ministry of Defence must ensure further support for border guards by army forces, including by increasing the number of personnel involved and providing logistical assistance. New technologies, including drones, helicopters and aircraft, will be used for this purpose.
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The Border Guard, police, Military Intelligence and Security Service, State Security Service and National Armed Forces will exchange operational information on attempts to illegally cross the border and the persons involved. The exchange will also concern the possible involvement of people in organizing illegal migration.
Latvia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs will coordinate cooperation with Lithuania, Estonia and Poland to counter illegal border crossings and secondary migration flows. According to Kulbergs, Russia, the aggressor state, uses the Latvian border as an element of hybrid warfare and carries out attacks on Latvia's infrastructure via Belarus.
Residents of eastern border areas were warned about more frequent vehicle checks on roads and increased aerial surveillance using drones. Drones will also be used during the festival in Aglona. The prime minister and defence minister noted that warnings for the population would be issued only regarding foreign drones, but citizens are asked to report all drones they spot to the police at 112, indicating the exact time and location where possible.
