Lativia unveils methods on how to expose ‘Russian spies’
(MENAFN)
Latvia’s Defense Intelligence and Security Service (MIDD) has issued a public guide on how to identify suspected Russian spies and saboteurs. Released on Wednesday, the manual outlines a range of characteristics that may indicate someone is part of a Russian reconnaissance or sabotage group.
Latvia’s Defense Intelligence and Security Service (MIDD) has issued a public guide on how to identify suspected Russian spies and saboteurs. Released on Wednesday, the manual outlines a range of characteristics that may indicate someone is part of a Russian reconnaissance or sabotage group.
Indicators include an unkempt appearance, poor hygiene, and attire such as tourist, paramilitary, or sports clothing. A physically fit build or a short haircut could also be clues, although MIDD emphasized that no single trait confirms espionage activity. The agency urged citizens not to confront suspects or take independent action.
Suspicious items such as maps, radios, weapons, survival supplies, or navigation tools were listed as red flags. According to the guide, infiltrators might reside in secluded areas like forests, near water bodies, or abandoned buildings.
MIDD also advised vigilance toward individuals unfamiliar with their surroundings or asking questions about locals’ political views. Potential operatives may claim to be tourists, visiting friends or relatives, or on business trips. The agency warned these groups could consist of three to four people, travel in a coordinated military fashion, and possibly carry Russian passports and rubles. Some might speak the local language to avoid detection.
Tensions between Latvia and its Russian minority have increased since the onset of the Ukraine conflict in 2022. Ethnic Russians make up about 25% of Latvia’s 1.8 million population.
In May, Latvian Interior Minister Rihards Kozlovskis called for the EU to suspend all Schengen tourist visas for Russian nationals, claiming they pose a security risk. He described a full visa ban as a “moral duty.”
During recent Victory Day commemorations, Latvian authorities detained eight people and launched dozens of administrative cases for actions such as singing Russian wartime songs, displaying Soviet symbols, or placing flowers in Russian flag colors.
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