NATO shoots down drone in Latvian airspace, army says

Latvia authorities said on Monday that fighter jets from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) shot down a drone that entered Latvian airspace from Russia, marking the latest in a series of security incidents along Europe’s eastern flank.

The Latvian military said the origin of the drone was not immediately confirmed. The incident comes amid heightened regional tensions tied to the ongoing war in Ukraine and increased drone activity near NATO’s northeastern borders.

In recent months, Ukraine has intensified long-range drone operations targeting Russian territory, including areas near the Baltic Sea. Several drones linked to the conflict have reportedly crossed into the airspace of neighboring NATO members, including Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia.

“Allied fighter jets successfully shot down a drone flying into Latvian airspace,” the Latvian Armed Forces said in a post on social media platform X.

Authorities earlier on Monday advised residents in eastern Latvia to remain indoors due to the potential threat. The alert was lifted after the drone was intercepted, the military added.

The incident adds to growing concern among NATO members that the conflict in Ukraine could increasingly spill over into allied airspace along the alliance’s northern and eastern borders.

Last month, a NATO fighter jet reportedly shot down a suspected Ukrainian drone over Estonia, further highlighting the risks of cross-border aerial incidents linked to the war.

-Reporting by Janis Laizans and Andrius Sytas; writing by Anna Ringström; editing by Terje Solsvik / Reuters