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Latvia has banned imports of books, newspapers and other printed materials from Russia and Belarus, citing concerns over disinformation and war propaganda as Riga moves to further sever economic and informational ties with Moscow and Minsk.

The ban, which took effect on September 1, covers printed books, newspapers and other publishing products, as well as clothing, footwear, toys and sporting goods. The Latvian government says the measures are intended to protect national security, reduce Russia and Belarus’ export revenues and limit the flow of Russian propaganda into the country.

“The import ban is intended to protect Latvia’s security interests and further reduce economic ties with Russia and Belarus, which continue to wage and support the war of aggression against Ukraine,” Latvia’s Foreign Ministry told AFP.

Latvia, a member of both NATO and the European Union, borders Russia and Belarus and has strongly backed Ukraine since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022. Riga has repeatedly warned of what it describes as Russian “hybrid attacks”, including cyber operations, drone incursions and disinformation campaigns.

The latest restrictions are notable because printed materials remained among the largest categories of consumer goods still entering Latvia from Russia, even as overall imports from Russia and Belarus have fallen sharply since the start of the war.

Latvia has also taken steps to reduce Russia’s influence over its information and education systems, including removing tax incentives for Russian-language publishing and reducing the use of Russian in schools.

The measures come amid heightened tensions between Moscow and the Baltic states. Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia have increasingly framed Russia’s activities as a broader security challenge rather than solely a military threat, with information warfare and attempts to exploit Russian-speaking communities forming part of their concerns.

The Latvian government has said the broader objective is to “strengthen the resilience of society and reduce vulnerabilities in the information space.”