Railways that connect to Russia are a threat to national security, believe Latvian military analysts. For that reason, the country is now considering demolishing those broad-gauge tracks, the president and prime minister confirmed on 26 November.
Besides identifying the Russian connections as a security threat, Latvian media write that Latvian Railways (LDz) still uses communication equipment and software developed in Russia and Belarus. That allows Russia to effectively track trains on Latvian territory. Freight that enters Latvia via Russia is also serviced via communication with Russian Railways.
Military analysts have reportedly argued that the railways in question should be removed as quickly as possible. That would have far-reaching implications for LDz. The company is already in deep trouble when it comes to the freight business.
A highly impactful decision
As a consequence of post-war sanctions, the rail freight transit business has collapsed in Latvia. It would completely come to a halt in case these railways would be dismantled. No more freight from Russia, China or Central Asia could come into the country via the railways.
Beyond LDz, the move would negatively impact other economic sectors, such as ports, and state expenditures on maintaining rail infrastructure. Due to the impactful nature of the decision, President Edgars Rinkēvičs said that more clarity will come in the beginning of 2026.
“We cannot rule out any option for strengthening national defense and security, but such decisions must be made by determining both the timeframe and the scope of the work and assessing what this means for various socio-economic aspects”, Rinkēvičs is quoting as saying. Coordination with neighbouring Estonia and Lithuania is also said to be an important aspect in decision-making, according to Latvian publication LSM+.