Kārlis Krastiņš: Ukraine's Strength Lies in Its People, Not Just Weapons
In an interview, Kārlis Krastiņš from the charity movement "Support Azov Latvija" discusses aid to Ukraine, the true nature of the Azov unit, and the role of civil society in comprehensive national defense.
Kārlis Krastiņš, chairman of the board of investment company "Prudentia" and a senior guard of the Latvian National Guard, is a core member of the charity movement "Support Azov Latvija", which is the official partner of the Ukrainian foundation "AZOV.ONE".
Since Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022, the movement has delivered goods worth approximately four million euros to Ukraine. The main recipient is the 12th Special Purpose Brigade "Azov" of the Ukrainian National Guard, which grew from a volunteer battalion to a corps of 45,000 soldiers. Krastiņš emphasizes that Azov is a professional unit and dismisses disinformation linking it to right-wing extremism as Russian propaganda.
According to Krastiņš, Ukraine's resilience is due to people who care. Azov's soldiers – young, patriotic, and intelligent – organized themselves as early as 2014 when political and military leadership failed to provide protection. They created their own ecosystem where leadership rises from the bottom.
Krastiņš highlights the importance of an active civil society for comprehensive defense. He cites a Finnish saying: "National defense is not a service; it is us ourselves." In societies with low trust in institutions, informal leaders – entrepreneurs, athletes, journalists – play a key role. He calls for realistic drills in Latvia so people know how to act in crises. Every family should have a plan for an invasion.
He is convinced that Ukraine will win the war, and it will end in Moscow. Ukrainians, despite fatigue, continue to fight and build their country. Latvia should learn from Ukraine's experience and rely on its own strength rather than waiting for orders from above.
