On 13 August 2026, Colonel Arvis Zīle, head of the Crisis Management Center of Latvia, stated on Latvijas Radio that Latvia's overall readiness for various types of threats and crises is rated at 4 out of 10. The Center has managed military and civilian cooperation for comprehensive state defense for over a year, with an annual budget close to two million euros. Despite having developed plans and steadily increasing preparedness, much work remains. Colonel Zīle emphasized that in the event of a military threat or aggression against Latvia, the country would face many surprises and would need to act rapidly, likened to 'building an airplane in flight.' He stressed the need for citizens to prepare individually with basic supplies like medicines, first aid materials, and food, noting awareness and understanding among the population about preparedness are gradually increasing. He urged calm but stressed the importance of readiness, noting that a readiness rating of 4 indicates Latvia is still at a low level but capable of survival. This statement was published at 17:51 UTC on 13 August 2026 by correspondent Ņikita Andrejevs on lsm.lv.

On 13 August 2026, Colonel Arvis Zīle, head of the Crisis Management Center of Latvia, stated on Latvijas Radio that Latvia's overall readiness for various types of threats and crises is rated at 4 out of 10. The Center has managed military and civilian cooperation for comprehensive state defense for over a year, with an annual budget close to two million euros. Despite having developed plans and steadily increasing preparedness, much work remains. Colonel Zīle emphasized that in the event of a military threat or aggression against Latvia, the country would face many surprises and would need to act rapidly, likened to 'building an airplane in flight.' He stressed the need for citizens to prepare individually with basic supplies like medicines, first aid materials, and food, noting awareness and understanding among the population about preparedness are gradually increasing. He urged calm but stressed the importance of readiness, noting that a readiness rating of 4 indicates Latvia is still at a low level but capable of survival. This statement was published at 17:51 UTC on 13 August 2026 by correspondent Ņikita Andrejevs on lsm.lv.