A Latvian citizen has been sentenced to six years in prison for joining and fighting alongside Russian military forces in Ukraine, Latvia’s prosecutor’s office announced on Tuesday. The individual, whose name has not been publicly released, was arrested in October 2024 while attempting to cross the border illegally from Russia back into Latvia.
According to Latvian media, the man joined the Russian army in 2023 and was stationed in Chelyabinsk, central Russia, where he served in an artillery unit of the 80th Tank Regiment. He was later deployed to the Ukrainian front in October 2024.
The motivation behind his decision to enlist in the Russian military remains unclear. The Riga court found him guilty on three counts: enlisting in a foreign military, participating in armed conflict, and illegal border crossing. In addition to the six-year prison term, he was also sentenced to two years of supervised release. The court acknowledged his admission of guilt and expression of remorse as mitigating factors.
Notably, the Latvian government does not prosecute its citizens who choose to fight as volunteers on the side of Ukraine, a policy consistent with neighboring Baltic nations Estonia and Lithuania.
This case marks a rare instance of legal action taken against a national for fighting on the side of Russia, as tensions remain high across Europe over the ongoing war in Ukraine.
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