In Latvia, against the backdrop of a threat from the Russian Federation, conscription was reinstated in the army

Latvia introduced compulsory military service for men of a certain age to prevent Russia from invading Europe. This is what Latvian Foreign Minister Krisjanis Karins said, reports The Telegraph.

All male citizens aged 18 to 27 are required to serve one year, including those living abroad.

It was noted that the conscription began in early January, a few weeks before the two-year anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

“We have presented the project again. We will use it to increase the size of our active and ready reserves,” said Foreign Minister Krisjanis Karins.

Latvia is seeking to prepare for a possible war by increasing its defense readiness by expanding reserve forces and restocking its weapons arsenal in light of Russian aggression.

In Latvia, those called up for service will receive a monthly salary of up to 300 euros and be housed in army barracks. They will be allowed to take up to one month of leave.

Conscripts are assembled into professional units to acquire the necessary skills and become fully equipped for combat. Latvia’s plan is to have 61,000 combat-ready, divided into active troops and reserve units.

Those who refuse to serve can be fined or imprisoned, although there are some exceptions, especially for people with health problems, single parents and those with dual citizenship who have served abroad.

According to Karin, the defense tightening is now sending a signal to the Russian Federation that the bases of Latvia and its European allies are covered.

“We must be in such a state of readiness that the Russian generals and the Russian political classes clearly see that movement in Europe is impossible,” he said.

The Foreign Secretary said Russia needs to understand that European defense is fully operational.

He added that he does not yet see a direct military threat to any NATO member, but the country still wants to prepare.

Earlier it was reported that the Baltic countries are planning to create common defense zones on the border of the Russian Federation.

Let’s remember that the Russian dictator Vladimir Putin is creating the information conditions for the upcoming escalation against the Baltic countries. Putin said that Latvia and other Baltic countries are “throwing out ethnic Russians” from their countries and that this situation “directly affects the security of Russia.”