A drone that entered Latvian airspace from Russia has exploded, authorities confirmed.
According to the Ministry of Defence, the Air Force identified an unmanned aerial vehicle entering Latvian airspace from Russia. Early warning systems detected a sound resembling an explosion in the Krāslava municipality.
Drone debris has been found at the site. Units of the National Armed Forces, State Police and State Border Guard are currently operating at the scene.
The ministry stated that no further threat to civilians or Latvian airspace security has been identified.
No injuries have been reported, and no damage to civilian infrastructure has occurred.
Deputy Chief of the Joint Headquarters of the National Armed Forces for Operations, Brigadier General Egils Leščinskis, told Latvian Television’s Morning Panorama that at 02:19 a.m. radar systems detected an unidentified aerial object approaching and crossing Latvia’s border. An air defence unit was dispatched.
The object detonated at 02:39 a.m. near the village of Dobričina in the Krāslava region. The drone exploded on its own and was not shot down.
Investigators are currently working at the scene. Leščinskis declined to speculate on the power of the explosion, noting that neither the manufacturer nor the country of origin of the object has yet been determined.
He added that the night had been tense overall for air defence units.
Before this incident, around midnight, another object had entered Latvian airspace from Belarus, made a brief turn, and then returned to Russian airspace. Air defence units had also been dispatched in that case.
According to the general, there is no indication of coordinated action by the two neighbouring countries against Latvia. He suggested that both objects may have deviated from their intended course, possibly due to electronic warfare measures, causing them to change trajectory and “enter areas that were not their intended targets.”
Leščinskis assessed that Latvia’s defence sector is prepared for such incidents, but “100% security cannot be guaranteed when there is active warfare nearby.”
An investigation into the circumstances of the incident is ongoing.
The Krāslava municipality has been informed.
Defence Minister Andris Sprūds (Progressives) has announced that he has cut short his official visit to Ukraine and is returning to Latvia following the incident.
Prime Minister Evika Siliņa, speaking on TV3’s 900 Seconds, noted that Ukraine experienced one of the largest Russian attacks overnight.
“There was intense fighting overnight — Ukrainians repelled explosions and attacks against their country,” Siliņa said.
According to the Prime Minister,
initial indications suggest that the drone that crashed in Latvia may have been a Ukrainian drone,
similar to a previous incident in Lithuania.
Siliņa also stated that a similar incident has occurred in Estonia, where a drone struck infrastructure. Investigations are ongoing, and she stressed that Latvia is located close to a war zone.
She emphasized that as attacks on Ukraine continue frequently, their effects may also be felt near Latvia’s borders, given the intensity of Ukraine’s countermeasures.
The Prime Minister also noted that Russia may be taking advantage of the fact that global attention is currently focused on developments in the Middle East.
According to Siliņa, the drone exploded approximately 13 kilometres from the border. The mayor of Krāslava municipality has been informed, and while there is currently no threat to residents, the situation highlights the need to further strengthen defence capabilities.
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