**A City on Alert: How Latvia and the Baltics Prepare for the Threat from Russia**
Across the historic cityscape of Riga, Latvia’s capital, a new set of green signs has appeared on buildings of every era and style. Marked with a white stick-figure family and the word “patvertne”—Latvian for “shelter”—these signs indicate locations where civilians can hide in the event of an attack. Their quiet presence on art nouveau facades and old wooden gates is a visible reminder of a city, and a nation, bracing itself for threats that seem both distant and dangerously close.
**A Region on Edge**
This heightened state of readiness is not limited to Riga or even Latvia. Throughout the Baltic states—Latvia, Estonia, and Lithuania—concerns about Russian aggression have been mounting. The anxiety is palpable, fueled by a recent series of incidents: unauthorized aircraft breaching NATO airspace, suspicious drones disrupting airports as far away as Germany, Denmark, and Norway, and the ongoing war in Ukraine unleashed by Moscow in 2022.
For the Baltic nations, these are not abstract fears. Each shares a border with Russia, an “aggressive country” in the words of Latvia’s defense minister, Andris Sprūds. Speaking at the recent Riga Conference—a gathering of international experts and leaders in security—Sprūds underscored the precarious geography of the Baltics. “We are on the front line. We are the eastern flank countries. We are neighboring Russia,” he explained, emphasizing the unique vulnerability of the region.
But Sprūds also highlighted Latvia’s proactive stance. The country has rolled out its own drone initiative and taken other steps to build resilience against potential Kremlin threats. While the situation is tense, Latvia is not passive; it is actively preparing for the possibility of conflict.
**Preparing for Modern Warfare**
At the Riga Conference, the specter of a direct NATO-Russia conflict was openly discussed. Matthew Whitaker, the U.S. ambassador to NATO, described a scenario in which hostilities would not begin with traditional warfare—such as tanks rolling across the so-called Suwalki Gap, the narrow stretch of land between Poland and the Baltics seen as a likely invasion route. Instead, he warned, the first shots would likely be digital: cyberattacks targeting critical infrastructure, airports, or communications.
Whitaker praised Latvia and other Baltic countries for their commitment to NATO’s defense initiatives, noting that they are rapidly increasing their military spending and investing in capabilities to strengthen both their own defenses and the collective security of the alliance. “The investments that make each individual ally stronger and therefore the collective alliance stronger are the important investments, and a country like Latvia is certainly doing it best in class right now,” he said.
Admiral Rob Bauer, who recently chaired NATO’s military committee, echoed these sentiments. He noted that any future conflict with Russia would be fundamentally different from previous wars. Drawing lessons from Ukraine, which has struggled without robust air and naval power, Bauer pointed out that NATO has already adjusted its strategy. Fighter jets, for example, have been operating over the Baltics from the aircraft carrier USS Gerald Ford, deployed to the North Sea earlier this year.
**Listening to the Baltics**
For Baltic leaders, this level of attention and preparedness is long overdue. Roberta Metsola, president of the European Parliament, candidly admitted that it took “way too long” for other European nations to take the warnings of Latvia, Estonia, and Lithuania seriously. These countries, which endured decades under Soviet occupation, have been sounding the alarm about Moscow’s intentions for years, often with little response from their Western allies.
Now, as the rest of Europe becomes more attuned to the reality of Russian aggression, the Baltic states are leading by example. Airis Rikveilis, national security adviser to Latvia’s Prime Minister Evika Silina, explained that Latvia’s preparations extend beyond the military. “This is not going to be 1940,” he said, referencing the rapid Soviet takeover of Latvia during World War II. “Should that battle start tomorrow, we’ll be ready to fight tomorrow with what we have.”
**Building Resilience: From Borders to the Power Grid**
Since the outbreak of war in Ukraine, Latvia has taken significant steps to enhance its security. A new fence now runs along the entire 176-mile border with Russia. In a move to reduce its vulnerability, Latvia has disconnected from the shared