Suspects accused of espionage using drones identified as Estonian and Ukrainian nationals in Latvia
Crafty Spy Game: Latvia's Security Service Nabs Two Suspects
Hey there! Let's talk about a thrilling incident that happened recently. Latvia's security service, the VDD, nabbed an Estonian and a Ukrainian citizen, suspected of snooping around Latvia's critical infrastructure sites on Feb 24. Sounds like a smooth move straight out of a spy movie, right?
But, before you get too excited, it's important to note that this info is based on a single source. Now, let's dive a bit deeper into the context and see if we can find any more juicy details about this espionage case, or any other incidents that might be related.
In the past, there have been some interesting developments in Baltic critical infrastructure. For instance, a Bulgarian vessel (Vezhen) was detained in January 2025 for damaging subsea infrastructure between Sweden and Latvia. The crew was held, but it seems the damage was accidental, rather than a deliberate attempt to gather info. Another noteworthy instance is the Jēkabpils corruption case in Latvia, which involved municipal officials and private contractors, but it had more to do with procurement fraud than infrastructure espionage.
Lastly, it's worth mentioning that NATO and EU initiatives, such as Baltic Sentry (enhanced military patrols) and the Cable Security Toolbox (a toolbox to monitor infrastructure set to launch by late 2025), show an increase in efforts to safeguard infrastructure after repeated sabotage incidents, some of which are attributed to Russian hybrid tactics. Latvia's critical infrastructure seems to have taken some hits in the past, including damage between Latvia-Sweden and Latvia-Estonia, but the sources don't reveal any specific VDD arrests related to this espionage.
As always, if you're looking for up-to-the-minute details on the VDD's activities, you'd want to keep an ear to the ground for real-time updates from Latvian authorities, as they would provide more insight. But for now, this is what we've got on the Latvian spy game. Keep your eyes peeled for more exciting developments!
- The detained suspects were Estonian and Ukrainian citizens, previously suspected of surveilling Latvia's critical infrastructure on February 24, according to the VDD, Latvia's security service.
- In the realm of general-news, it's worth mentioning the Jēkabpils corruption case in Latvia, involving municipal officials and private contractors, though it primarily concerned procurement fraud, not infrastructure espionage.
- The Cable Security Toolbox, an EU initiative set to launch by late 2025, aims to monitor infrastructure, demonstrating a concerted effort to safeguard infrastructure following repeated sabotage incidents, some believed to be Russian hybrid tactics.
- Crime-and-justice-related developments in Latvia's critical infrastructure extend beyond the recent VDD arrests, as seen by the incident involving a Bulgarian vessel, Vezhen, which was detained in January 2025 for damaging subsea infrastructure between Sweden and Latvia.
