Latvia is bringing back conscription after rising tensions with neighboring Russia amid the war in Ukraine.

This was announced by the Minister of Defense of the Baltic state, Artis Pabriks, reports "France Presse".

"Latvia's current military system has reached its limit. In the meantime, we have no reason to believe that Russia will change its behavior," he noted.

Latvia abolished conscription a few years after joining NATO.

Since 2007, the country's military has been made up of professional soldiers alongside National Guard volunteers who serve in the infantry part-time on weekends.

The country of less than two million people currently has only 7,500 active duty soldiers and members of the National Guard, supported by 1,500 NATO troops.

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Pabrix explained that the mandatory military service will apply to men and will take effect next year, with several options to fulfill the requirement.

Gattis Priede, a National Guard soldier, called the move "the best news" and stressed that the decision should have been made immediately after Russia annexed Crimea in 2014.

"This is the right move - to train more reservists for our army and for the overall NATO force, which is still critically lacking in the Northern European and Baltic regions," he pointed out.

Pabriks also announced plans to build another military base near the southeastern city of Jekabpils, located closer to the Russian border than the existing Adazhi base.

conscription military service