Video ⟩ SAB recorded the desire of individual citizens to find opportunities to join the ranks of Russian private armies

Illegals

When the war in Ukraine started, Europe and Latvia expelled embassy employees who were spies. Both the SAB and the Estonian Foreign Intelligence Service claim that Russia is now actively using “illegals” – Russian spies who work under cover. It goes without saying that the activities of such persons have been noticed in our country as well.

The Swede points out: “If we are talking about illegals who operate without any visible connection to their representative country – in this case you mentioned Russia – these persons are prepared for a long time and with a certain legend, with some certain logical reason. Either they visit some specific countries about which there is an interest in obtaining information, or staying in these countries. The guise of tourists is also used. Last year, Norway announced the arrest of a couple of Russian tourists who used a drone to record certain infrastructure parameters. The Netherlands in the first half of last year allegedly in Brazil a citizen tried to start a working relationship in The Hague. It was determined that this person is actually a Russian, a Russian citizen. These are cases that show how these illegals, without being connected to the country of origin, try to infiltrate to start some kind of activity of their own and access, or create access to information you are interested in. This process is time-consuming.”

When asked if the presence of illegals in Latvia is felt at the moment, the Swede says: “In any case, I would refrain from mentioning any specific cases. But based on the examples I mentioned above, we can conclude that there is definitely interest.”

The Swede also points out that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has lowered the status of relations between the Russian embassy and Latvia. “It is no longer at the level of ambassadors, but at the level of plenipotentiaries. If we are talking about the termination of diplomatic relations, it is already the last step before declaring war. Of course, our relations with Russia are at a low enough level and cold enough, but they are. And at the moment, there are no prerequisites to tear them down either.”

Asked why, despite the fact that most likely the people working there continue to spy, it cannot be prevented, the Swede says: “We are talking about the fact that embassies still perform certain functions, solving some kind of practical issues, and defending the interests of their nationals, but also, accordingly, to solve a certain issue. By adopting these decisions of the previous year, we have minimized these possibilities. The fact that they can be prevented 100% cannot be claimed by any head of the security service, since the question is about minimizing all these risks.”

Column 5

On December 30, dictator Vladimir Putin issued an order containing a list of persons to be awarded orders of various degrees and ranks. Among them are also two people from Latvia – Viktors Guščins, who regularly helped to recruit young Latvians who would like to study in Russian universities at the Moscow House. Gushchin was considered one of the main leaders of the Russian-speaking community who cooperated with the Russian embassy. The other person is Tatjana Favorska, representative of Tatjana Ždanoka’s Latvian Russian Union.

The Swede points out: “If we talk about these two specific persons, then they have been known for a long time as implementers of Russian soft power in Latvia. Then we could perceive this cultural award – the Pushkin medal – as an evaluation of their efforts. But if we look at how successful or their contribution is influential, then one should be quite critical about the appropriateness of this award.

But all these persons who in this situation provide support for the propaganda and narratives implemented by Russia, and accordingly the support for the war against Ukraine, must be evaluated on a scale from “useful idiot” to “a person against whom criminal proceedings have been initiated”. And these individuals are certainly not on the scale closer to ‘useful idiot’.”

In the early 2000s, cash and various other illegal payments were used to support such persons in Latvia, which the SAB allegedly noticed. But currently, due to sanctions, Russia has problems financing the activities of its agents of influence and pro-Russian activists abroad. Therefore, new solutions are being creatively sought, also using cryptocurrencies.

Mercenaries

The worse Russia fares in the war in Ukraine, the greater the danger that the risks of various desperate steps to change the situation in its favor will increase. However, SAB believes that nuclear weapons could be used by Russia if Putin felt that the existence of his regime was threatened.

So far, it has not been noticed that the private armies supported by the Kremlin have also recruited Latvian citizens. However, there have been cases when people themselves sought contacts and exits to these military formations.

The Swede says: “If we are talking about Latvian nationals, then formally, according to Russian legislation, they cannot serve in the Russian armed forces in any way. Therefore, only private military formations of this type remain.

We have recorded the desire of volunteers to find this kind of way out, where, in what way to realize this setting, desire, dream. In any case, within the scope of our competence, we pass this information on to the security authorities, who have the right to this knowledge, in order to implement certain measures against these persons.”

Belarus

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs warned this week that it would not be recommended for people from Latvia to travel to Belarus. There are risks that Belarusian and also Russian special services could organize various kinds of provocations in order to have a reason to detain these people and recruit them for espionage in Latvia using blackmail methods.

Member of the Saeima, secretary of the National Security Commission, Ainars Latkovskis (JV) states: “Belarus has actually become a part of Russia. The security services there basically work together.

The Belarusian KGB is actually one of the divisions of the Russian FSB, in my view. This is all that is happening, which is also used by Russia, and those Latvian people who go to the Russian side must understand this – they use the opportunity, they stage, let’s say, a traffic accident or some violation. As a result, detain a person, start interrogating him. Often, of course, these people who go to buy cheaper products end up buying more alcohol or cigarettes. For which a penalty is due, not only when crossing the border of Latvia, but also when leaving Belarus.

They are detained. They are offered to cooperate or pass on some information. And in this way, unwillingly, but out of fear, they become spies of Belarus, Russia here with us.

Since this is very dangerous, the security authorities are aware of it. We have discussed it. I can’t reveal the details, unfortunately, but this is the thing that threatens our security.”

Minister of Foreign Affairs Edgars Rinkevičš (JV) states: “One case, as mentioned in all those articles of indictment, which our consular officials, providing assistance, can also verify by meeting with the people themselves, is, for example, simply saying a couple of critical words about the leadership of the country in question, people who were present or heard something and report accordingly.And the person is immediately charged according to the relevant articles for showing disrespect to the president, state power and so on.

Another case, which we consider completely fabricated – an attempt to make contact with the personnel of the Belarusian armed forces and to spy. It’s not like that, but apparently there have been some circumstances where people may have met, and this is used to inflate the fact that we have arrested the biggest Latvian spy of the 21st century.”

Last year, in the Latvian radio program “Krustpunktā”, the Deputy Chief of the State Border Guard, General Ivars Ruskulis, stated that Latvian border guards are not prohibited from traveling to third countries, including Belarus, but officials and employees must report every such departure, whatever they do. The border guard is calling on the border guards not to use the visa-free regime introduced by Lukashenko, because there is a sufficiently high risk that they may be threatened by the authorities of Belarus.

However, as confirmed by the border guard, four border guard officers visited Belarus last year and this year, contrary to warnings.

When asked to specify the time when the trips took place and how long the border guards were in the territory of a regime unfriendly to Latvia, the representatives of the State Border Guard replied that “there is no basis for such detailed processing of personal data”.

The State Border Guard states: “Regarding emigration to Belarus, we are talking about individual, rare cases, that is, in 2022, 2023, one official of the State Border Guard and three employees have left and stayed in Belarus. All of them visited Belarus for medical treatment.”

The Swede comments: “Yes, we have talked about these risks and dangers last year as well – both we and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs called for an evaluation of this need to go on this type of trip. It is a risk and a danger. Taking into account what I mentioned above about these limited Russian opportunities to get the information you need.

This type of travel, both to Russia and to Belarus, naturally carries risks, especially if we are talking about public officials. Risks of coming into contact with the Russian security services and being recruited or used for the realization of one’s own interests.

Then once again, taking advantage of the opportunity, I invite Latvian nationals to carefully evaluate the need to go to these two countries in particular at the moment. And if the inevitable happens, and there is this kind of contact, upon returning to the country, inform the SAB about it.”