Latvia has banned the import of books, newspapers, and other printed materials from Russia and Belarus, citing the fight against “disinformation and war propaganda,” the Latvian Foreign Ministry announced on Monday, reports AFP, as relayed by Agerpres.
“The import ban aims to protect Latvia’s security interests and further reduce economic ties with Russia and Belarus, who continue to wage and support the war of aggression against Ukraine,” said the ministry.
Latvia, a member country of NATO and the European Union, has a significant Russian-speaking minority, with approximately a quarter of the population belonging to the Russian ethnic minority. An ally of Ukraine, Latvia has faced “hybrid attacks” from Moscow since the beginning of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The country shares borders with Russia and Belarus.
Against the backdrop of cyber attacks, drone incursions, and disinformation, Latvia, a former Soviet republic, has heavily invested in its security in recent years, convinced that it could be one of Moscow’s next targets.
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