Latvia scrambles NATO jets in latest Baltic drone alert

Latvian military reported at least one drone entering Latvian airspace and activated NATO aircraft to address the apparent threat. An alert to the public was issued and later lifted after several hours. The armed forces advised people to seek shelter indoors and close windows and doors, while additional units were deployed on the eastern border near Russia. The forces stated that as long as Russia’s aggression in Ukraine continues, similar incidents involving foreign unmanned aerial vehicles entering or approaching Latvian airspace are possible. A prior drone incident in eastern Latvia that struck an oil storage facility contributed to the collapse of Latvia’s coalition government, including the firing of the defense minister and subsequent withdrawal of a coalition party.

"“We confirm that there is at least one unmanned aircraft in Lativan airspace,” the Latvian Armed Forces wrote online. It advised people to seek shelter indoors and close windows and doors, saying that additional units had been deployed on the eastern border to Russia. “As long as Russia's aggression in Ukraine continues, recurrences of such incidences where a foreign unmanned aerial vehicle enters or approaches Latvia's airspace are possible,” they said."

"“We confirm that there is at least one unmanned aircraft in Lativan airspace,” the Latvian Armed Forces wrote online. It advised people to seek shelter indoors and close windows and doors, saying that additional units had been deployed on the eastern border to Russia. “As long as Russia's aggression in Ukraine continues, recurrences of such incidences where a foreign unmanned aerial vehicle enters or approaches Latvia's airspace are possible,” they said."

"The fallout from a stray drone landing in eastern Latvia and hitting an oil storage facility ultimately led to the collapse of the already fragile coalition government. First, Prime Minister Evika Silina fired her defense minister for his handling of the issue, then the smaller party he represented withdrew from the coalition government costing Silina her majority and ultimately forcing her resignation."

"Lithuania's military urged Vilnius residents to seek shelter on Wednesday amid another drone overflightImage: Mindaugas Kulbis/AP Photo/picture alliance What did neighboring Lithuania's president say in response to Wednesday's air alerts? NATO planes shot down another drone over Estonian airspace on Tuesday of this week."

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