The training ground in Selonia is open. The largest in the Baltic countries

On Friday in the Selonia region in the south-east. The largest training ground in the Baltic countries was opened in Latvia. It includes a unique drone testing area in Northern Europe, said Andris Spruds, head of the Latvian Ministry of Defense.

– Conducting large-scale NATO exercises is a great advantage of this training ground, to which we have committed ourselves as an ally – added Minister Spruds.

The event, which included, among others, exercises using live ammunition, participated by representatives of the Latvian authorities, headed by President Edgars Rinkeviczs, as well as, among others, Head of the Lithuanian Ministry of Defense Robertas Kaunas.

– True deterrence begins with well-trained soldiers, said the Lithuanian minister.

The creation of the training ground, which is located close to the border with Lithuania, was decided at the NATO summit in Madrid in 2022. It covers an area of ​​approx. 25,000 square meters. ha and is twice as large as the military training ground in Adaji, near Riga.

The first stage of construction of the training ground was completed on Friday, and by 2029 a base with barracks is planned to be built, which will accommodate approx. 1.2 thousand people. soldiers. Last summer, exercises in the operation of unmanned aerial vehicles and anti-drone systems were already carried out at the training ground.

The training ground in Selonia is one of the country's main defense infrastructure projects, next to the construction of the Baltic Defense Line, i.e. a project to strengthen and fortify the eastern borders of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia.

pmo/ piu/