Counterintelligence

One of the main fields of Latvian State Security Service’s (VDD) work is counterintelligence. The main goal of counterintelligence measures is to identify and prevent the activities of foreign intelligence and security services drawn against the sovereignty of the Republic of Latvia, its economic, scientific, technical and military potential as well as national security and other vitally significant interests of our country.

The aim of hostile foreign intelligence and security services is to obtain the information significant to the Republic of Latvia as well as information of strategic significance about:

• presence of NATO allied forces in Latvia;
• the current affairs of national security and defense policy;
• the current affairs of state foreign policy, including Latvia’s membership in NATO, the EU and other international and regional organizations;
• current internal political processes; 
• state economic situation, particularly development plans and future prospects for sectors and projects of strategic importance;
• information concerning the intelligence and security services, National Armed Forces, law enforcement institution personnel, capacities, technical equipment;
• the information about current processes in state and municipal institutions, especially officials, who have the access to sensitive information or news;
• information about critical infrastructure objects, the security measures applied and their personnel;
• scientific developments, research projects;
• vulnerabilities, dependencies, criminal offences and other discrediting information about state and municipality officials in order to force them to covert cooperation.

Apart from counterintelligence measures implemented to identify and prevent the activities of hostile foreign intelligence and security services in Latvia, VDD also conducts systematic briefing of national authorities aimed at promoting the comprehension of the counterintelligence risks. Counterintelligence is the field in which VDD closely cooperates with both other Latvian intelligence and security services (SAB and MIDD) as well as foreign partner services.