The president of Latvia appointed General Kaspar Pudans, current head of the voluntary defense organization Zemessardze (the country’s National Guard – EADaily), as head of the country’s armed forces. LSM reports on this.
The appointment must still be approved by the Latvian Seimas, but this, the publication notes, is more of a formality.
“By evaluating the professional experience, education and qualifications of General Kaspar Pudans, as well as the skills and cooperation demonstrated in the position of head of the National Guard, I consider that Brigadier General Kaspar Pudans is suitable for the position of head of the Armed Forces.” – said the president of Latvia Edgar Rinkevich.
Brigadier General Pudans has served in the national armed forces since 1994 and since February 2023 is the commander of the National Guard. He received his military education at the Latvian National Defense Academy, the Baltic Defense College in Estonia, and the French Military Academy. He also has a Law Degree and a Master’s Degree in Management.
Pudans gained experience in international service during a deployment to Afghanistan. The soldier also served as Latvia’s military representative to NATO and the EU in Brussels.
