The war in Ukraine has made Latvia’s potential adversary much clearer – we can only expect cruelty from them, said the commander of the Latvian National Armed Forces, Lt. Gen. Leonīds Kalniņš in an interview on TV3’s 900 seconds program.

He admitted that Ukraine and the resistance of its people play a “huge role” in Ukraine’s achievements against the Russian military. This justifies Latvia’s efforts to develop its defensive capabilities – since 2017 the country has adopted a concept of comprehensive state defense. The Latvian people are an important part of this concept.

From a military point of view, the armed forces are able to achieve their objectives to the maximum. Latvia will also be fully protected from a collective defense point of view.

Latvia is working intensively on increasing its combat capabilities. More than 300 Allied soldiers are currently stationed in the country. New military equipment continues to arrive to help increase combat capabilities.

But the most important factor in any defence, as the example of Ukraine shows, is the preparation of society to defend its country – what it has created, restored and wants to develop in the hope of a economic well-being. This means social cohesion, moral preparation and willpower, which are at a very high level among Latvian residents, Kalniņš said.

“I am very optimistic when I see members of our company actively joining the National Guard – to date, we have received over 1,800 applications in the space of 25 days. This is three times more than what we normally receive each year. This trend indicates that the Latvian society is ready to protect what has been given to it,” said the commander of the country’s armed forces.

Latvia was one of the first countries to support Ukraine by supplying it with weapons and weapon systems that have proven effective in combat.

“The result is that, for example, Russian helicopters stopped flying in Ukrainian airspace during the day, because Ukraine has short-range weapons and Russia has significant losses of military equipment,” said Kalniņš.

“We should be grateful to the Ukrainians because they demonstrate how important it is to protect your home country,” the NBS commander said.

NBS is actively studying the use of UAVs to achieve operational objectives.

In the Latvian army, drones have been used for four years, but most of them are not conventional drones – they are used for reconnaissance and coordination of fire. NBS is also studying the use of conventional tactical means, such as Bayraktar attack drones. Whether or not Latvia’s ability to procure Turkish Bayraktar drones will depend on the results of the study, the NBS commander said.

The war in Ukraine proved that the vision that NBS holds was correct, as did the introduction of the means to equip troops with active armaments. The main conclusion to be drawn from the current war is that everything should be done much faster, but additional funding is needed to be able to sign contracts for the supply of additional weapon systems in the near future rather than in ten years.

Kalniņš pointed out that Latvia’s potential adversary has become clear in the war in Ukraine and Latvia has a better understanding of what to expect.

“We can only expect the cruelty that we can see in Ukraine,” the NBS commander said.

Regarding Saeima’s invitation to the United Nations on the imposition of a no-fly zone in Ukraine, Kalniņš said that from the point of view of military effectiveness, closing the air above of Ukraine would give an effect, but it is not the only measure mainly necessary to ensure the maximum effect for the defence.

“Artillery and missile attacks against military and civilian objects caused the most damage to Ukraine. Military aircraft attacks have been the least of these attacks so far,” Kalniņš said, adding that Ukraine needs more anti-aircraft and anti-artillery capabilities.

“The final decision on the no-fly zone is political,” Kalniņš said, adding that from a military point of view, the volume of aid provided to Ukraine will have a major effect on the country’s defensive capabilities. .