In brief
Latvian armed forces observed an unidentified object hovering near the borders with Russia and Belarus for about 30 minutes before it left the airspace. Residents were urged to stay indoors during the brief threat. The incident underscores concerns over spill‑over from Ukrainian drone operations in the region.
Latvian armed forces reported a brief intrusion of an unidentified object into the country’s airspace near the borders with Russia and Belarus on Sunday, prompting authorities to advise residents to stay indoors for safety.
Latvian radar picked up the object for roughly 30 minutes before it departed the nation’s airspace; the military later declared the threat over.
"We inform you that there is a threat in the airspace… If you notice a low‑flying or suspicious object, do not approach," the military posted on X.
The warning arrived amid growing concerns over Ukrainian military drones straying into the airspaces of neighboring NATO Baltic states. Reuters reports that such drones have also entered the airspaces of Finland, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, prompting security alerts.
Ukraine explains that some drones have gone off course due to Russian signal jamming, while Moscow accuses Kyiv of using NATO airspace as cover for attacks.
Latvian officials stressed that the brief event highlighted the spill‑over risk from ongoing fighting in Ukraine, especially as the war threatens to extend into NATO countries that border Russia and its ally Belarus.
