NATO Brigade Deploys East Toward Russian and Belarus Borders in Latvia
For the first time ever, NATO’s entire Canadian-led military brigade stationed in Latvia is deploying east this week toward the borders of Russia and Belarus, CTV News reported. Tanks, infantry, medics, and engineers are pushing east from their main base in Adazi to execute a multi-day exercise that includes constructing defensive positions along NATO’s eastern front.
Latvia hosts Canada’s largest overseas military deployment. Canada has led NATO’s multinational brigade in the country since 2017 under Operation REASSURANCE. The base in Adazi houses approximately 3,000 soldiers from 14 NATO nations, with roughly 2,000 belonging to the Canadian Armed Forces. Nearly all of these personnel are participating in the mass mobilization east.
Operation Reassurance Shifts to Ready-to-Defend Posture
Canadian Armed Forces Lt.-Col. Simon Mailloux, commander of the multinational battle group leading infantry troops through the operation, stated that Canada’s military stance in the region has transformed over the years. Back when we began leading NATO presence in Latvia in 2017, we were in a reassurance posture that evolved to a deterrence posture and now we’re in a ready-to-defend posture,
Lt.-Col. Mailloux said, as reported by CTV News.
Concerns over Russian aggression have escalated following the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The Kremlin faces accusations of conducting hybrid warfare across the region, ranging from cyberattacks to drone incursions. Ahead of the current deployment to eastern Latvia, the Canadian-led brigade completed a combat readiness evaluation in Adazi featuring artillery, tanks, and infantry soldiers calling out commands.
Commanders Prepare for Evolving Battlefield Realities
Lt.-Col. Mailloux emphasized that the battle group is preparing for any potential scenario. We’re conducting the exercise to ensure the battle group is ready to fight,
he noted. We want to see if our drills and tactics are updated to the day. We see what’s happening in Ukraine, things are evolving. We want to be on the edge, we want to be ready if it comes to that.
Latvia shares its eastern border with Russia and Belarus. Alongside Estonia and Lithuania, Latvia forms a critical component of NATO’s eastern front. In July, at the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, Prime Minister Mark Carney announced the extension of Operation REASSURANCE in Latvia, outlining plans for Canada to shoulder increased responsibilities in the face of ongoing threats from Russia.