A Latvian man has been handed a six-year prison sentence for espionage in favor of Russia, as reported by the Latvian news agency LETA. He was found guilty of passing on sensitive information to the Russian military intelligence service (GRU). The verdict was reached through a plea agreement between the defendant and the prosecution, which allowed for a faster court process in exchange for a reduced sentence after the man admitted his guilt.

The accused, who was arrested in August 2025, claimed to have acted out of ideological motives. Employed in the construction sector, he gathered information on military facility locations, infrastructure, and NATO troops in Latvia, which he relayed to the GRU using the messaging platform Telegram. This case highlights ongoing concerns in Latvia regarding espionage activities, particularly involving Russian state actors, in light of its strategic position bordering Russia and Belarus as a member of the EU and NATO.

Latvia continues to grapple with the implications of espionage and security threats in a geopolitical climate marked by tensions between NATO and Russia. The acknowledgment of such espionage within its borders raises alarms over the potential vulnerabilities and challenges faced by national security in the region, especially as Latvia remains a key player in the transatlantic defense community with NATO.