Latvia will use its military to speed up land infrastructure construction on the Latvian-Russian border, with the goal of completing the fence on the border with Russia next year.

The fence will be constructed along 180 kilometres of the 214-kilometre border, with most of the length already deforested. Latvian Prime Minister Evika Siliņan announced plans to complete the Belarus border fence this year and the Russia border fence next year. The closure of two border crossings with Russia, Vientuļi and Pededze, was in response to Moscow’s announcement that the small Vientuļi border crossing would be the only land border crossing Ukrainian citizens could use to enter the EU from Russia. The Ministry of Interior warned that the Russian decision could negatively impact public order and Latvian national security.

In response to the escalating hybrid warfare tactics employed by Russia and Belarus, several states within the European Union have embarked on a significant endeavor—building border fences to counter the threat of illegal migration. The genesis of this defensive measure can be traced back to the lead-up and during Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, where migration was weaponized as part of a broader hybrid warfare strategy against the EU.

Russia and Belarus, seeking to exploit vulnerabilities within the EU, employed hybrid warfare strategies that went beyond traditional military tactics. Illegal migration was weaponized, with the countries issuing visas to tens of thousands of migrants mainly from Africa and the Middle East. This unconventional approach posed a multifaceted challenge for Eastern European states. Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland have all either finished constructing border fences or are in the process of erecting them.

These barriers were designed not only to stem the flow of illegal migrants but also to fortify national security and safeguard the integrity of the Schengen Area. Latvia’s decision to speed up the process with the help of the military shows that it believes another hybrid attack could be around the corner.