Russian Border Rail Dismantling Allowed | News Update

The total length of railway tracks in Latvia is approximately 1.8 thousand kilometers. All this is 1520 mm wide, which is used in Eastern Europe and also in Russia. But it is not only the width of the tracks that binds us to the neighbor who wants to occupy Ukraine. The company “Latvijas dzelzceļš” still uses communication equipment and software made in Russia and Belarus. With their help, Russia is able to keep track of which trains are located on the territory of Latvia. In addition, cargo still coming from the east through Russia must be serviced by contacting and maintaining connections with “Russian Railways”.

In the east, in the direction of the Russian border, there are two railway corridors: the line Rēzekne II–Zilupe–state border, which continues in the direction of Russia to Pitalovo and Moscow. The second line Rēzekne II–Kārsava–state border, which connects Latgali with the direction of Pskov. On the other hand, railway connections with Belarus are provided by the Daugavpils–Indra–national border line in the direction of Polotsk.

In addition, on the rail section, the Karsava-state border in the direction of Pitalova runs directly parallel to the border for many kilometers. It is one of the most strategically sensitive railways in the region.

US International Relations and Defense researcher Colin D. Smith, who has worked in various military operations around the world for 30 years, was also a military attaché at the US Embassy in Russia and also in Latvia, says in a recent interview – if Latvia wants to prevent a Russian invasion, then it must finally eliminate its Russian-wide railway tracks. According to him, the railway was the only reason why Russia was able to do what it did in Ukraine in the first six months of the full-scale war. Military and economic analysts in Latvia also agree with him. According to them, if you have to choose between the economic benefits of a few by keeping the rails, and the safety of the whole country by demolishing the rails, you should choose the latter.