Latvian Riflemen

This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page. (Learn how and when to remove these template messages) This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations. (January 2018) (Learn how and when to remove this message) This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Latvian Riflemen" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (December 2012) (Learn how and when to remove this message) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

Latvian Riflemen
Latviešu strēlnieki Латышские стрелки
1916 uniform of the Latvian Riflemen
Active	July 1915 – 1920
Country	Russian Empire (1915–1917)  Soviet Russia (1918–1920) White Movement (1918–1920)
Branch	Imperial Russian Army Red Army White Army
Type	Infantry
Size	~ 40,000
Part of	Russian 12th Army
Engagements	World War I Eastern Front Defence of Nāves sala [lv] Christmas Battles Battle of Jugla Russian Civil War Estonian War of Independence Latvian War of Independence Battle of Daugavpils
Commanders
Notable commanders	Augusts Ernests Misiņš [lv] Andrejs Auzāns Jānis Francis Frīdrihs Briedis Jukums Vācietis Mārtiņš Peniķis Roberts Dambītis

The Latvian Riflemen (Latvian: Latviešu strēlnieki; Russian: Латышские стрелки, romanized: Latyshskie strelki) were originally a military formation of the Imperial Russian Army assembled starting 1915 in Latvia in order to defend Baltic governorates against the German Empire in World War I. Initially, the battalions were formed by volunteers, and from 1916 by conscription among the Latvian population. A total of about 40,000 troops were drafted into the Latvian Riflemen Division. They were used as an elite force in the Imperial and Red armies.