NATO’s air surveillance mission in the Baltic countries will have a provisional base in Latvia in 2024 instead of Estonia, the defense ministers of the two European Union countries announced on Sunday.
Fighter jets and personnel associated with NATO’s Baltic air surveillance mission will be stationed at the Latvian airfield of Lielvarde, while the Estonian military airport of Amari undergoes renovations. After the end of the repair work, the soldiers will return to Estonia.
“The Russian war against Ukraine has clearly demonstrated the importance of air defense. Cooperation with allies and the reception of their air defense units is a requirement for an orderly infrastructure,” said Estonian Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur.
The Baltic republics lack air defenses and lack air forces, relying on NATO members to patrol airspace near the Russian and Belarusian borders.
Source: TSF
