RIGA — Latvia's military reported that NATO fighter jets shot down a drone that entered the country's airspace from the direction of Russia on Monday, the latest in a series of such incidents along the Baltic state's eastern border.
The Latvian National Armed Forces said allied aircraft, identified as French Rafale jets operating under NATO's Baltic Air Policing mission, successfully intercepted and destroyed the drone in the eastern Latgale region near the Russian border. No casualties or damage on the ground were reported.
Authorities issued alerts to residents in the area before lifting the airspace warning later in the morning. The military stated the drone entered Latvian territory "as a result of Russian electromagnetic warfare," though details on its origin remained under investigation.
"This marks the first time an unmanned aerial vehicle has been shot down over Latvian territory by NATO forces," a military spokesperson said, according to reports from the incident.
The incident occurred amid heightened tensions linked to Russia's ongoing full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Similar drone incursions have been reported in recent months in Latvia and neighboring Baltic states, with some previously attributed to stray Ukrainian drones diverted by Russian electronic jamming.
Latvian Defense Minister Raivis Melnis and other officials have pointed to Russian electronic warfare activities as a factor pushing drones off course from the conflict zone. The country has responded by strengthening anti-drone defenses along its borders with Russia and Belarus, including the deployment of mobile interceptor units.
NATO has maintained enhanced air policing in the region since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The alliance has not issued an immediate detailed comment on Monday's event, but officials have previously described such responses as demonstrations of readiness on the eastern flank.
The Latvian Foreign Affairs Ministry and military continued monitoring the situation. As of Tuesday, no further incursions were reported in the immediate aftermath.
The event comes weeks after earlier incidents, including in May when suspected Ukrainian drones entered Latvian airspace, one of which caused limited damage at an oil storage facility without casualties. Officials have urged caution while emphasizing that the situation remained under control.
