26 • 08 • 2020
Anti-mobility Training at “Mežaine” Landfill
On 17 August, demonstrations of anti-mobility measures took place at “Mežaine” landfill in Skrunda Municipality to promote co-operation between the defence sector and civil institutions within the framework of national defence. Representatives of JSC “Latvia's State Forests” (LVM) also participated in the exercises organized by the Ministry of Defence and the National Armed Forces.
During the training, it was demonstrated how to quickly and easily use heavy and tractor equipment such as timber trucks, front loaders, dump trucks with semi-trailers and universal tractors for anti-mobility measures.
Colonel Andris Rieksts, Commander of the 4th Kurzeme Brigade of the National Guard, told how the round timber that is used in anti-mobility measures is processed in a mobile sawmill into boards used for the production of shooting targets.
Reinforced concrete structures, bulk material and log loads help to establish checkpoints on roads, as well as significantly slow down the speed of the enemy. Special attention was paid to the engineering measures in the formation of tree slopes, damage to roads and culverts that were demonstrated for the first time to a wider circle of people.
Commander of the 54th Engineering Battalion of the National Guard Lieutenant Colonel A. Rauza highly appreciated the cooperation with LVM in the destruction of explosive objects, namely, providing people and infrastructure with safe places to perform this task.
“Our successful cooperation with the Ministry of Defence and the National Armed Forces is an important contribution to strengthening the national defence capabilities. The Ministry of Defence, on the basis of the government decision, can acquire land under its control and develop the necessary infrastructure. It is also planned to expand the territory of the landfill “Mežaine” by approximately 700 ha by transferring the areas to the Ministry of Defence. Then it will be possible to install further distances at the landfill, including training courses for mortars, shooting ranges and green tactics,” tells Valdis Kalns, Head of LVM Real Estate Management.
LVM has been involved in a total of 24 land transfer projects, of which 11 (with a total area of 10 000 ha) have been implemented; the largest of them in Ādaži, Lāčusils and Meža Mackeviči, two projects have been discontinued, and the rest are still in the process of implementation.
LVM also provides operational support in the coordination of military training, ensuring maximum compliance of military training with economic, social and environmental interests in the areas managed by LVM.
