203.186.185.24: /* Equipment */

2025-04-09T02:50:23Z

Equipment

New page

{{Infobox law enforcement agency
| agencyname = State Border Guard
| nativename = {{lang|lv|Valsts robežsardze}}
| abbreviation = RS
| patch = Emblem_of_the_State_Border_Guard_of_Latvia.png
| patchcaption = Emblem of the State Border Guard
| badge =
| motto =
| mottotranslated =
| formedyear = December 13, 1991
(origins in 1919)
| dissolved =
| restored =
| preceding1 = Border Guard Brigade
| preceding2 =
| preceding3 =
| preceding4 =
| preceding5 =
| employees =
| budget =
| country = Latvia
| divtype =
| divname =
| map =
| mapcaption =
| sizearea =
| sizepopulation =
| legaljuris =
| national =
| governingbody = [[Minister of the Interior]]
| constitution1 =
| police =
| local =
| overviewtype =
| overviewbody =
| headquarters = [[Rūdolfa iela]] 5, [[Riga]]
| sworn =
| unsworn =
| electeetype =
| minister1name =
| minister1pfo =
| chief1name = [[General (rank)|Gen.]] Guntis Pujāts
| chief1position = Chief
| officetype = Territorial boards
| officename = {{collapsible list |title=6 |Riga|Viļaka|Ludza|Daugavpils|Ventspils|Aviation}}
| stations =
| website = [http://www.rs.gov.lv www.rs.gov.lv]
| footnotes =
}}

The '''State Border Guard''' ({{langx|lv|Valsts Robežsardze}}) is the [[border guard]] of [[Latvia]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://ec.europa.eu/home-affairs/doc_centre/borders/docs/List%20of%20national%20services%20responsible%20for%20border%20control.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=2012-01-30 |archive-date=2012-08-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120813052452/http://ec.europa.eu/home-affairs/doc_centre/borders/docs/List%20of%20national%20services%20responsible%20for%20border%20control.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref>

The State Border Guard is an institution subordinated to the Minister of the Interior. The State Border Guard is an armed institution and it serves to ensure the security of the state border and to prevent illegal migration.

Every day more than 2,000 border guards and employees of the State Border Guard fulfil their duties of service. Currently the State Border Guard comprises the Central Board, territorial boards, including the Aviation Board. The State Border Guard College is an institution of higher education under the authority of the State Border Guard.

The State Border Guard ensures surveillance of 276 km long border between the Republic of Latvia and [[Russia|Russian Federation]], 172,9 km long border between the [[Latvia|Republic of Latvia]] and the [[Belarus|Republic of Belarus]], and 498 km long sea border (external [[European Union|EU]] border), as well as monitoring of 343 km long border between the Republic of Latvia and the Republic of Estonia and 588 km long border between the Republic of Latvia and the [[Lithuania|Republic of Lithuania]] (internal EU border).

==History==
[[File:NBS parāde 11.novembra krastmalā (6357744387).jpg|thumb|left|State Border Guard troops of Latvia during a parade in [[Riga]]]]
[[File:Flag of the Border Guard of Latvia.svg|thumb|Flag of the Border Guard of Latvia]]

=== 1918–1940 ===
On [[Proclamation Day of the Republic of Latvia|November 18, 1918]] the [[People's Council of Latvia]] proclaimed the independence of the Republic of Latvia as well declared temporary borders of the newly established state. For the purposes of their protection, on 7 November 1919 [[Jānis Balodis]], [[Latvian National Armed Forces|Latvian Army]] Commander-in-Chief, issued an order to form border guard units. The activities of border guards were based on the internal border guarding provisional regulations of the People's Council, issued on 5 December 1918.

After the end of the [[Latvian War of Independence]], on 8 November 1920 the Border Guard ({{Langx|lv|Robežapsardzība}}) was renamed to the Border Guard Division ({{Langx|lv|Robežsargu divīzija}}) and it was tasked with border protection duties.

On 2 February 1922, the [[Government of Latvia|Cabinet of Ministers of Latvia]] decided to dissolve the Border Guard Division and to assign border guarding functions to the Ministry of the Interior. On 10 March of the same year, the newly established Border Police ({{Langx|lv|Robežpolicija}}) took over the border guarding functions from the Border Guard Division.

In 1935 the Cabinet adopted the Law on State Border Guarding. On 6 April 1935, a separate military unit – the Border Guard Brigade ({{Langx|lv|Robežsargu brigāde}}) was created within the Ministry of the Interior, with General [[Ludvigs Bolšteins]] appointed as its Commander.

Shortly before the [[Soviet occupation of Latvia in 1940|Soviet occupation of Latvia in June 1940]], members of the brigade were killed, wounded and taken prisoner by [[Soviet Union|Soviet]] [[Internal Troops|NKVD Troops]] during the [[Masļenki border incident]]. In protest over the dissolution of the agency, General Bolšteins committed [[suicide]] at his office. On 3 October 1940 [[Alfons Noviks]], People's Commissar of the Interior of the [[Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic|Latvian SSR]], signed an order on the disbandment of the Border Guard Battalions and discharge of border guards from their positions. On 10 October 1940 the Border Guard Brigade of the Republic of Latvia was dissolved by the Soviet occupation authorities.

=== 1990–present ===
After the [[On the Restoration of Independence of the Republic of Latvia|restoration of the independence of Latvia]] on 4 May 1990, on 20 December 1990 the [[Supreme Council of the Republic of Latvia]] adopted a Law “On State Border of the Republic of Latvia”, but due to the transitional period towards independence that lasted until August 1991 in effect, Latvian border guard units were not yet restored. On 7 November 1991 the Presidium of the Supreme Council approved the "Regulations on the Order of Taking the Oath for Soldiers of the Republic of Latvia". On 11 November 1991 the first border guards of the restored Republic of Latvia took their oath in the [[Brothers' Cemetery]] of [[Riga]].

13 December 1991 is the date of de facto re-establishment of the Latvian Border Guard, as by the order of the [[Ministry of Defence (Latvia)|Minister of Defence]] of 13 December 1991 No. 4-V “On the Formation, Determination of Responsibilities, Structure and Staff of the Border Guard Battalions“ the Border Guard Military Units Board of the Republic of Latvia under the MoD was established, which then assumed control over the Border Guard Battalions, the Separate Border Control Point and Border Guard Training Center Military Units. The protection of the border was entrusted to seven Border Guard Battalions located at [[Valmiera]], [[Viļaka]], [[Ludza]], [[Daugavpils]], [[Jelgava]], [[Liepāja]], [[Ventspils]] and Riga Separate Border Control Points.

The protection duties by the new service started by organising checkpoints on roads and taking over the functions of [[Soviet Border Troops]] in ports and airports, based on the Council of Ministers’ decision of 29 January 1992 “On Ensuring the Takeover and Guarding of the State Border of the Republic of Latvia”. By the establishment of the Border Guard Battalions, work was started on the development of border defence infrastructure – physical border marking, creation of border control infrastructure, improvement of living conditions for border guards, drafting of regulations and rules.

By the order of the Minister of Defence of the Republic of Latvia from 1 February 1992, the Border Guard Brigade of Defence Forces of the Ministry of Defence ({{Langx|lv|Aizsardzības ministrijas Aizsardzības spēku Robežsargu brigāde}}) was established by merging the 7 existing border battalions, the Riga Separate Border Control Point and [[Vārve Parish|Vārve]] Training Centre.
By the order of Minister of Defence of 23 November 1995, the Border Guard Brigade of the [[Latvian National Armed Forces|National Armed Forces]] was reorganized into the Border Guard Forces ({{Langx|lv|Robežapsardzības spēki}}).

On 7 January 1997 the supervision of the Border Guard Forces was transferred to the [[List of Ministers of the Interior of Latvia|Ministry of the Interior of Latvia]]. On 14 February 1997 the Border Guard Forces were renamed the Border Guard of the Ministry of the Interior, and on 1 May 1998 – the State Border Guard.

== Leadership ==
The border guard is led by the Chief of the Border Guard, which is appointed for a five-year term by the [[Ministry of the Interior (Latvia)|Ministry of the Interior]] after approval from the Cabinet of Ministers.

General Normunds Garbars lead the State Border Guard from 7 April 2009 to 22 January 2019, when he retired after reaching the maximum age limit. He was succeeded by General Guntis Pujāts, who previously served as Deputy Chief since 2018.<ref>{{Cite web|title=General Guntis Pujāts made chief of Border Guard|url=https://eng.lsm.lv/article/society/society/general-guntis-pujats-made-chief-of-border-guard.a306134/|date=2019-01-15|website=[[Public Broadcasting of Latvia]]|language=en|access-date=2020-05-07}}</ref>

==Equipment==
{{Expand list|date=February 2018}}

===Weapons===
{| class="wikitable"
!Model
!Type
!Origin
!Status
!References
|-
|[[Makarov pistol]]
| rowspan="2" |[[Semi-automatic pistol]]
|{{flag|Soviet Union}}
|Retired
|<ref>{{Cite web |date=2016-11-13 |title=Mainīs "kalašņikovus" pret NATO atbilstošiem ieročiem |trans-title=Kalashnikovs will be replaced with NATO-compatible weapons |url=https://www.la.lv/mainis-kalasnikovus-pret-nato-atbilstosiem-ierociem |access-date=2021-12-21 |website=[[Latvijas Avīze|LA.LV]] |language=lv}}</ref>
|-
|[[Glock 17]]
|{{flag|Austria}}
|Current
|<ref>{{cite web |title=Robežsargi saņem pistoles Glock 17 |url=http://www.rs.gov.lv/index.php?rel=5274&id=1031&top=-6 |access-date=30 May 2018 |website=www.rs.gov.lv |language=lv}}</ref>
|-
|[[Pistol Mitralieră model 1963/1965|PM md. 63/65]]
| rowspan="3" |[[Assault rifle]]
|{{flag|Socialist Republic of Romania}}
| rowspan="2" |Retired
| rowspan="2" |<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2014-10-12 |title=Latvian Border Guard to replace old ''Kalashnikov'' rifles with more modern ones |url=http://www.baltic-course.com/eng/markets_and_companies/://www.baltic-course.com/eng/markets_and_companies/?doc=99922&output=d&ins_print |access-date=2021-12-21 |website=The Baltic Course {{!}} Baltic States news & analytics}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |title=Latvian border guard and army service man walk past barbed wire temporary fence on the Latvian-Belarus border near Robeznieki, Latvia, September 28, 2021. REUTERS/Ints Kalnins Stock Photo - Alamy |url=https://www.alamy.com/latvian-border-guard-and-army-service-man-walk-past-barbed-wire-temporary-fence-on-the-latvian-belarus-border-near-robeznieki-latvia-september-28-2021-reutersints-kalnins-image443807923.html |access-date=2021-12-21 |website=www.alamy.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Citation |last= |first= |title=Ministru prezidents Valdis Dombrovskis vēro Nacionālo bruņoto spēku vienību militāro parādi 11.novembra krastmalā |date=2011-11-18 |url=https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ministru_prezidents_Valdis_Dombrovskis_v%C4%93ro_Nacion%C4%81lo_bru%C5%86oto_sp%C4%93ku_vien%C4%ABbu_milit%C4%81ro_par%C4%81di_11.novembra_krastmal%C4%81_(6357912847).jpg |access-date=2024-07-11}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Category:Sa vz. 58 in Latvian service - Wikimedia Commons |url=https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Sa_vz._58_in_Latvian_service |access-date=2024-07-11 |website=commons.wikimedia.org |language=en}}</ref>
|-
|[[Vz. 58]]
|{{flag|Czechoslovakia}}
|-
|[[Heckler & Koch G36]]
|{{flag|Germany}}
| rowspan="2" |Current
|<ref>{{cite web |last1=Jones |first1=Bruce |date=6 February 2018 |title=Latvia orders infantry small arms |url=http://www.janes.com/article/77655/latvia-orders-infantry-small-arms |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180207082402/http://www.janes.com/article/77655/latvia-orders-infantry-small-arms |archive-date=7 February 2018 |access-date=7 February 2018 |website=IHS Jane's 360 |location=London}}</ref>
|-
|[[FN MAG#Swedish Army versions|KSP-58]]
|[[Machine gun]]
|{{flag|Sweden}}
|<ref>{{cite web |title=Nacionālie bruņotie spēki nodod Valsts robežsardzes rīcībā triecienšautenes G-36 |url=http://www.rs.gov.lv/index.php?id=1031&top=-6&rel=5019 |access-date=30 May 2018 |website=www.rs.gov.lv |language=lv}}</ref>
|}

===Vehicles===
*[[Nissan Pathfinder]]<ref>{{cite web |title=Robežsardze saņēma 87 jaunas dienesta automašīnas |url=http://www.rs.gov.lv/?id=1031&top=0&rel=3611 |website=www.rs.gov.lv |access-date=30 May 2018 |language=lv}}</ref>
*[[Toyota Hilux]]
*[[Renault Kangoo]]
*[[Arctic Cat]] ATVs<ref>{{cite web |title=Robežsargu diena Ludzas pārvaldē |url=http://www.rs.gov.lv/?id=35&top=0&rel=5285 |website=www.rs.gov.lv |access-date=30 May 2018 |language=lv}}</ref>
*[[Polaris Inc.|Polaris]] snowmobiles

===Aircraft===
*2 x [[AgustaWestland AW109|AgustaWestland A109 Power]]<ref>{{cite web |title=Ministry of the Interior of Latvia Orders A109 Power Helicopters for Border Guard |url=http://www.defense-aerospace.com/article-view/release/69396/latvia-orders-a109p-helos-for-border-guard-(jun-5).html |website=www.defense-aerospace.com |publisher=Briganti et Associés |access-date=6 August 2018 |date=5 June 2006}}</ref>
*2 x [[AgustaWestland AW119 Koala|AgustaWestland AW119 Kx]]<ref>{{cite web |title=Svinīgos apstākļos pieņēma jauniegādātos gaisa kuģus un jūras patruļkuterus |url=http://www.rs.gov.lv/?rel=6206&id=1031&top=-6 |website=rs.gov.lv |language=lv |date=23 December 2019}}</ref>
*2 x [[Bell 206|Bell JetRanger]] (being replaced)

==See also==

*[[List of national border guard agencies]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{Commons category-inline|Border Guard of Latvia}}
*[http://www.rs.gov.lv/ State Border Guard official website]

{{European Border and Coast Guard|state=expanded}}

[[Category:Border guards|Latvia]]
[[Category:Borders of Latvia]]
[[Category:Law enforcement agencies of Latvia]]

State Border Guard - Revision history

203.186.185.24: /* Equipment */