Latvia stages attack scenarios in Liepāja and Riga

Latvia’s annual Namejs 2026 national defence exercise has moved into urban areas in Liepāja, the Riga area and South Kurzeme municipality, LSM reported. The drills involve Latvian and allied troops, National Guard members and emergency services practising cooperation in military attack scenarios.

The exercise, organised by Latvia’s National Armed Forces, has been under way across the country for more than two weeks.

Exercise simulates chemical incident in Liepāja

On Thursday, soldiers from the National Guard’s 4th Kurzeme Brigade trained at the former Liepāja Metalurgs factory site to respond to hybrid and conventional threats.

The exercise involved a search and detention operation. Working with the State Police and the Special Tasks Unit, the participants freed hostages and arrested rioters. Together with the State Fire and Rescue Service, they also dealt with the consequences of a chemical incident.

“This is a complex operation in itself because it requires coordination between the elements securing the outer and inner security perimeters, the clean-up teams and those providing support,” said Lieutenant Colonel Rinats Ažēns, commander of the National Guard’s 44th Infantry Battalion.

“There is also a medical element, which we simulated today. We will train the triage and further evacuation of mass casualties,” he said.

About 130 people took part in the Liepāja exercise. Organisers said the events had proceeded without problems so far, but that conclusions would be drawn at the end of the training.

“Of course, there are weak points, but that is what exercises are for: to learn in a safe environment, draw conclusions from what we have done and then improve things so that, essentially, we become better every year,” said Lieutenant Colonel Ģirts Savins, commander of the National Guard’s 4th Kurzeme Brigade.

Later, the participants travelled from Liepāja to the area between Liepāja Airport and Nīca. There they carried out tasks together with National Defence Service soldiers, Lithuanian partners, hunters and a naval unit.

On Friday, the exercise will move into a conventional phase, in which participants will fight opposing forces and command will be transferred to the Ministry of Defence side.

“We will try to carry out various tasks, such as better reconnaissance of the adversary, its composition and disposition, and, of course, we will also take part in battles,” Ažēns said.