Russia to respond to aggression as Kiev plans to launch drones from Latvia — intel agency

Lead

Russia's Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) said in a statement that Ukraine has persuaded Latvia to allow drone strikes against Russian territory to be launched from Latvian soil, warning that the Baltic states could face serious consequences. The statement, reported by the Russian state news agency TASS, comes amid heightened tensions between Moscow and NATO members in the region.

According to the SVR, the Ukrainian government, led by President Volodymyr Zelensky, is seeking to demonstrate to its European backers that the Ukrainian armed forces retain combat capability and the ability to harm the Russian economy. The intelligence agency alleges that the Ukrainian army command is preparing "a series of terrorist strikes deep inside Russia," and that Latvia has been persuaded to participate despite its concerns about becoming a target of Russian retaliation.

Coverage Comparison

All coverage of this story comes from TASS, the Russian state news agency, which published three articles with slightly different angles. One article focuses on the SVR statement itself, detailing the alleged Ukrainian preparations from Latvia. A second article highlights comments from Leonid Slutsky, chairman of the Russian State Duma's International Affairs Committee and leader of the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia, who warned that the Baltic states could face serious consequences for providing airspace for Ukrainian drone flights. A third article covers Slutsky's reaction to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen's stated intention to reinforce the eastern flank of NATO, which he described as creating an "anti-Russian terrorist base" in the Baltics.

Given that all three articles originate from the same state-run outlet, the coverage presents a uniform perspective aligned with Russian official positions. No independent or Western sources are included in the available material.

Key Claims

The central claim, as reported by TASS citing the SVR, is that Ukraine has convinced Riga to authorize a drone operation against Russia from Latvian territory. The SVR statement asserts that Ukrainian military personnel from the Unmanned Systems Forces have been deployed to Latvia to prepare for such attacks. TASS also reports that the SVR believes Ukraine intends to use airspace and possibly territory of other Baltic countries as well, to reduce flight times and increase the effectiveness of strikes.

The SVR statement reportedly acknowledges Latvia's concerns about becoming a target of Russian retaliation but claims that Ukrainian officials argued the exact launch sites would be undetectable. The agency attributes Latvia's eventual agreement to "extreme Russophobia" of the current leadership, a characterization that reflects Moscow's framing rather than independent analysis.

Additionally, Slutsky's comments, as reported by TASS, reference Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kestutis Budrys' statement in an interview with Neue Zurcher Zeitung that NATO must demonstrate its ability to "penetrate the small fortress the Russians built in Kaliningrad." Slutsky warned that such rhetoric from "hotheads" in the Baltics could draw fire on Europe as a whole, and that a NATO attack on Kaliningrad would trigger Russia's military and nuclear doctrines.

Perspectives

The Russian perspective, as presented by TASS, depicts Ukraine as a provocateur endangering European security and the Baltic states as reckless hosts for what Moscow characterizes as terrorist activities. The SVR statement and Slutsky's remarks frame the situation as one where Western support for Ukraine could escalate into a broader conflict, potentially involving nuclear weapons.

No Ukrainian, Latvian, or other Western responses to these specific allegations are included in the available coverage. However, the article notes that von der Leyen has previously described similar SVR statements as "completely unacceptable" and "a threat against our entire Union," according to a post on X cited by TASS.

It is important to note that the SVR's claims have not been independently verified by non-Russian sources. The accusations against Latvia are denied or have not been addressed publicly by Latvian officials within the material reviewed. This article presents the claims as reported by TASS, with the caveat that they originate from a Russian state intelligence agency and are being disseminated through state-controlled media.

As the situation develops, independent verification of the alleged Ukrainian drone operation plans from Latvia will be crucial to assessing the validity of these claims. For now, the story remains based on a single source with a clear state affiliation.