Latvia’s army says 2 drones crash in country after entering airspace from Russia

Two unmanned aerial vehicles crashed in Latvia after entering the country’s airspace from Russia on Thursday, according to the Latvian armed forces.

In a series of posts on the US social media platform X, the National Armed Forces of Latvia said a possible threat had been detected in the eastern municipalities of Balvi and Ludza earlier in the day.

The military later said that “several” drones had entered Latvian airspace and that two had crashed on Latvian territory.

“The Air Force has identified the entry of a foreign unmanned aerial vehicle into Latvia’s airspace from Russia,” the armed forces said.

Units from the military, state police and the state fire and rescue service were deployed to the sites where the drones crashed.

Authorities urged residents to remain indoors, close windows and doors, and avoid approaching suspicious or low-flying objects.

Latvia, a NATO member bordering Russia and Belarus, has repeatedly warned about regional security risks linked to Russia’s war in Ukraine.

“As long as Russia’s aggression in Ukraine continues, a recurrence of such incidents, where a foreign unmanned aerial vehicle enters or approaches Latvia’s airspace, is possible,” the armed forces said.

Russia, for its part, described the incident as an “attempted Ukraine’s terrorist attack on civilian infrastructure” near St. Petersburg using drones launched from the direction of Latvian airspace.

According to the Russian Defense Ministry, Russian air defense systems detected six drones and also identified French Rafale and F-16 fighter jets over Latvia during the incident.

A Ukrainian-made An-196 Lyutyy unmanned aerial vehicle entered the Russian airspace and was shot down near Pskov, the ministry said.