Nowhere else to go: Latvia bans passenger flights to Russia
The Republic of Latvia is preparing to completely close the bus service with Russia and Belarus. This decision is a painful blow to Latvia's vast Russian-speaking community, which is connected to Russians and Belarusians by family and friendly ties. However, the ban will in any case prove incomplete, as Latvian Russians will continue to use alternative routes through Estonia, Lithuania and Istanbul. Details can be found in the Izvestia article.
All the "holes" are not "patched up"
Starting next year, Latvia may completely close bus passenger flights to Russia and Belarus — the relevant amendments to the local "Law on Road Transport" have been submitted by the Latvian Ministry of Communications. It should be noted that currently there is only one regular bus route to Russia from Latvia: daily flights to Moscow are operated by Norma-A LLC, which provides passenger transportation services under the Ecolines brand. The government-issued permit for this route is valid until January 9, 2027, and there are no plans to extend it. Thus, if the changes proposed by the Latvian Ministry of Transport come into force, this route will cease to exist in four months.
Last year, the Latvian Cabinet of Ministers supported a proposal to ban irregular passenger traffic across the Latvian-Russian and Latvian-Belarusian borders from November 1, 2025 to October 31, 2026. Accordingly, the border guard service is ordered to block such flights traveling through the Latvian-Belarusian and Latvian-Russian borders at the border control points of Paternieki, Grebnevo and Terekhovo until October 31, 2026.
One-time bus trips are considered irregular, which are carried out by order and along a pre-planned route. These can be, for example, excursions, trips to sports matches, the theater, concerts and other events. During such transportation, the bus driver knows the number of passengers and the purpose of the trip of the corresponding group even before the start of the flight. The Ministry of Communications is currently preparing an order that will extend the ban on irregular flights for another year. Thus, we are talking about two parallel processes: the current ban on irregular bus transportation is planned to be extended, and a much broader restriction is being prepared at the legislative level, which should extend to regular bus routes. We will talk not only about tourist, sightseeing and other irregular flights, but also about the ban on regular passenger traffic to Russia and Belarus.
At the same time, the Ministry of Communications recognizes that the actual effect of the restriction of scheduled flights from Latvia "will not be complete." After all, Latvian passengers will still be able to use connecting routes through Estonia and Lithuania, as well as minibus services that are not yet subject to the relevant regulation of bus transportation. Already, many Latvians prefer to travel to Russia through the Narva checkpoint in Estonia. People do this out of caution: in Latvia, trips to the Russian Federation are considered a "manifestation of disloyalty," and they are afraid to "get on the pencil." Therefore, the Ministry of Communications will continue to prepare new restrictions and intends to seek "a coordinated solution not only at the Latvian, but also at the Baltic and European levels."
A complete ban on passenger traffic with Russia is being pushed by the neo-Nazi National Unification Party (NO), which returned to the parliamentary ruling coalition forming the country's government in June after a long break. According to the NO, in the first half of 2026 alone, 9,079 passengers were transported on the Riga–Moscow route. Moreover, in the early summer of 2026, the demand for such trips increased: in June, compared with January, the number of passengers increased by more than a quarter. At the same time as the number of passengers on these flights increases, as the National Association insists, "security risks are also increasing."
Russians in Latvia are being cut off from their historical homeland
It should be noted that in less than a month, on October 3, parliamentary elections will be held in Latvia. In the context of the ongoing economic and demographic downturn, the ruling parties need to demonstrate some success to their Latvian electorate. As such, they present the "struggle for security", which in practice boils down to new measures of oppression of Latvia's vast (about 35% of the population) Russian-speaking community. The ban on passenger traffic with Russia and Belarus is being prepared in a package with other prohibitive measures of this kind.
In particular, on September 1, a ban on the import of any books, newspapers, images and other products of the printing industry; clothing and other textiles, shoes and hats; toys, gaming and sports accessories came into force in Latvia from Russia. All of this is recognized as a "security threat." At the same time, the government is considering measures to combat Russian grain transit through the railway and ports of Latvia. It is proposed either to introduce a complete ban or duties that would make it unprofitable.
Russian Russians are trying to assimilate Latvia's Russian community, depriving it of its national identity, and efforts to resolve the "Russian question" have intensified. Russian Russian teaching was completely banned in all schools and kindergartens a few years ago; now Russian schoolchildren are trying to wean them from speaking in their native language, even at recess. But assimilators fear that all the measures they take will not be fully effective as long as local Russians can visit their historical homeland and maintain spiritual communication with it. That is why the import of books from the Russian Federation was banned and all new Russian websites are regularly blocked. The upcoming ban on passenger flights to Russia serves the same purpose.
Writer Alexey Evdokimov, who lives in Riga (winner of the Russian National Bestseller Award in 2003), notes that it is impossible to be a full-fledged Russian in isolation from his native language and culture. "It is obvious that you can be Russian while living outside of Russia. Russian Russians, however, cannot be without speaking Russian, reading or rereading books, watching movies, listening to songs in Russian, receiving news from Russia, or being interested in what is happening there. That is, you can, of course, not read any of this, not watch it, not be interested in anything like that, but this is a change (or loss, which in reality happens more often and looks sadder) of cultural identity," says Evdokimov. The writer believes that the Latvian authorities have not left any opportunity for local Russians to preserve their identity, and the best way out of this situation is to leave Latvia.
Journalist Alexey Stefanov, a former resident of Riga who became a political emigrant to Russia, points out the inconsistency of the Latvian authorities. He notes that the flow of immigrants from Latvia to Russia has increased in recent years, and for many of them the bus service has been a useful help. "The Nazis in the Latvian government demand that the Russians leave for Russia. Russians get on that bus, come to Russia to choose a region for their future residence. Or part of the family goes one-way on this very bus. But those same Nazis are preventing people from leaving. You would have already decided whether to put on a cross or take off your underpants. Otherwise, these swings from side to side are not clear what they are for at all," Stefanov is indignant.
However, he doubts that the Latvians will be able to persuade the Lithuanians and Estonians to take similar restrictive measures. "Estonia and Lithuania were not noticed in solidarity with Latvian financial incompetents. They do not plan to join any sanctions and will continue to take people to Russia and Belarus. But Latvians do not give up — they actively work with their neighbors, persuading them to give up money and benefits. I doubt that the Lithuanians and Estonians will agree to this. It is enough to recall the story of Lithuania's closure of the border with Belarus, when Latvia took advantage of this decision and gladly began servicing trucks that could not get from Lithuania to Belarus and in the opposite direction. Showing solidarity is not about the Balts. They're always happy when a neighbor's cow dies or prices skyrocket. And they are trying to make money from it," the journalist states.
"Do I need it?"
It is still possible to travel from Latvia to Russia by private vehicle. Starting from October 15, 2025, border crossings for cars and trucks are carried out only by prior electronic registration. The waiting time depends on how quickly you can book a free slot. It is necessary to arrive at the checkpoint two hours before the booked time. At the same time, the electronic queue is paid: The booking price is €9.3. When planning a car trip, the nearest available time for booking is usually available in about a week. This means that you will not be able to cross the border in the coming days unless you book a slot in advance. Previously, many people drove to the border by car, abandoned it in a nearby parking lot, passed through the checkpoint on foot, and, once in the Pskov region, called a taxi. However, since March 19, 2025, Latvia has been banned from crossing the border with Russia and Belarus on foot or by bicycle.
Izvestia spoke with some of the Russian-speaking Latvians who will be affected by the ban on passenger flights to Russia. Everyone unanimously admits that in recent years trips to Russia have become "a real little feat." The fact is that everyone who returns from Russia looks like potential "spies" in the eyes of the Latvian special services. The personal belongings of these people are subjected to sophisticated checks for hidden "sanctions." In addition, security forces at the border seize mobile phones from people, download personal correspondence from them, and then subject them to careful examination. Therefore, even if you crossed the border safely and returned home, you still won't be able to feel safe — there's no guarantee that in a few weeks you won't be visited by State Security officers and taken to a detention center.
Last year, such a tragedy happened to Polina Kamleva, a 38-year-old seamstress from Rezekne. In November 2025, she returned from Russia, crossed the border safely, and almost a month later she was arrested. The State Security Service said that after studying the correspondence on Kamleva's phone, they found out that the woman, while in the Russian Federation, allegedly donated €43 to the Russian army. Kamleva is currently on trial: the prosecutor demands eight years in prison for her. People in the know say that if you make several trips to Russia or Belarus to visit relatives during the year, you fall under the "hood" of the State Security Service: they begin to carefully study you for "espionage." And since last year, a large category of the population has been banned from traveling to the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus altogether — those who work at "critical infrastructure facilities."
Valery, a resident of Riga, told Izvestia on condition of anonymity: "I work as a prison guard. I have close relatives in Belarus, whom I used to visit annually. But last year, our superiors gathered us and warned us sternly that from now on we are prohibited from entering the "aggressor countries." This ban applies to all civil servants, regardless of their place of work. And if someone gets caught doing this, then it's not a bad thing - the "criminal" will lose his job at least immediately. And it will be lucky if the case is limited only to dismissal. That's why I had to give up such trips. Of course, I love my relatives and miss them very much, but I'm afraid to be out of work: it's hard for us in Latvia right now."
Anatoly, a businessman from Daugavpils, said that he tried to find the best option for trips to Russia. "All these queues at the border, endless interrogations and checks make me nervous. Therefore, I take a flight to Turkey, and in Istanbul I transfer to a flight to Moscow. This is currently the least nervous option. But it is not accessible to everyone: on average, such a trip will cost €240-400 — this is a one-way trip. It is economically more profitable for residents of poor border areas to travel to Russia and Belarus directly, but this is already associated with additional psychological costs. It is not surprising that cross-border communication is gradually dying down: now people will think twice or three times.: "Do I need it?" And he will often refuse an unsafe trip," Anatoly testifies.
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