NATO Fighter Jet Downs Drone Over Latvia in Latest Baltic Airspace Incident
A French military Rafale fighter jet shot down a drone that entered NATO member Latvia's airspace from Russia on Monday, the latest in a series of incidents along Europe's eastern border raising concerns about spillover from the war in Ukraine. The Latvian army said the drone entered "as a result of Russian electromagnetic warfare," without specifying who launched it.
The drone was destroyed as part of the NATO Baltic Air Policing mission, which has guarded the skies of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania since 2004. According to Lithuanian military spokesperson Gintautas Ciunis, two French jets based at the Siauliai airbase in northern Lithuania were scrambled and neutralised the drone at around 10:00 local time (0800 GMT). The incident was the first confirmed case of NATO aircraft intercepting and destroying a drone over Latvia under the mission.
Latvian Defence Minister Raivis Melnis told reporters the drone was shot down near the village of Berzgale, about 30 km (18 miles) from the Russian border. He confirmed no one was hurt and no property was damaged. Authorities had earlier warned residents in parts of eastern Latvia to shelter indoors because of the threat, with the alert ending after the shootdown.
Latvian Foreign Minister Baiba Braze thanked France on social media, writing: "Thank you to our French allies for shooting down the drone that penetrated Latvian airspace!" Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs praised the "swift decision-making and professional action," while a NATO official said the incident "shows once again NATO’s determination and ability to deter and defend." The French military said the jets took off from Siauliai and destroyed the drone "over an uninhabited area," demonstrating France’s "commitment to contributing to the security of Europe’s eastern flank."
The incident adds to a growing list of incursions from the Russia-Ukraine war into neighbouring countries that are part of the NATO alliance, sparking fears of escalation. In recent months, Ukraine has stepped up long-range drone attacks on Russia, including in the Baltic Sea area, and several Ukrainian drones have strayed into the airspace of Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia. Kyiv has accused Russia of interfering with drone paths using electromagnetic warfare, a claim echoed by Latvia in this case.
Other incidents have heightened concerns. Fragments of a Ukrainian drone were found in a field in Moldova on Monday after it entered from Ukraine, an incident Chisinau blamed on Russia. Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said the incidents in Latvia and Moldova "confirm that Russia’s continued aggression against Ukraine poses a threat beyond Ukraine's borders."