The Armed Forces of Latvia activated anti-aircraft alerts this Thursday and reinforced coordinated surveillance with NATO after detecting the incursion of a drone in the south of the country, in an area bordering Lithuania and Belarus. The emergency situation, during which the population was urged to take cover, lasted about four hours.
"Possible threat in Latvian airspace. We inform that there is a possible threat in Latvian airspace in the municipalities of Ludza, Kraslava and Rezekne," the Latvian Army communicated on social networks early in the morning, before confirming that it was a real incursion.
Shortly after, the Armed Forces specified that "we confirm that there is at least one unmanned aircraft in Latvian airspace," without offering details about the exact point where the incident occurred.
Finally, at 1:45 p.m., approximately four hours later, the Army announced the end of the airspace alert. "We inform that the possible threat in Latvian airspace has ended," it stated in a new communication, declaring the end of the tense day in the Baltic country.
Throughout the episode, military authorities kept NATO informed and emphasized that, together with its allies, Latvia constantly monitors its airspace to ensure an immediate reaction to "a potential threat." In this regard, they explained that "we have reinforced anti-aircraft defense capabilities on the eastern border, sending additional units."
The Army also urged citizens to "seek shelter indoors and close windows and doors," and requested cooperation in reporting any possible sightings of drones in the affected area.
Analyzing the context, the Latvian Armed Forces warned that "as long as Russia's aggression in Ukraine continues, it is possible that cases will be repeated where a foreign unmanned aerial vehicle enters or approaches Latvian airspace," directly linking the current security crisis with the Russian invasion of Ukrainian territory.
Coordination with NATO and Baltic partners
After the day of maximum alert, the President of Latvia, Edgars Rinkevics, held talks with the Secretary General of NATO, Mark Rutte, as well as with the leaders of the other Baltic countries to address what happened and the joint response.
Rinkevics thanked Rutte for his "firm stance" against the "lies and threats" coming from Russia and highlighted the resources that the Alliance has made available to Riga. "We also discussed additional measures to strengthen air defense in Latvia and in the Baltic States," noted the Latvian leader.
For his part, the NATO Secretary General indicated that recent incidents were addressed in the conversation, emphasizing that the organization is "fully committed" to the security of all allies. "We will continue to ensure that we have everything necessary to defend every inch of allied territory," he stressed.
The Latvian president also reported on his contacts with the heads of state of Lithuania, Gitanas Nauseda, and Estonia, Alar Karis, to address the shared threat to regional airspace, as well as "Russian disinformation" and the reinforcement of the joint defense of the Baltic countries.
The episode occurs a few days after another similar incident recorded in Lithuania, which led to the activation of air sirens in Vilnius and other areas of the country. On that occasion, several Lithuanian leaders, including Nauseda, were moved to bunkers as a precaution, until the alarm was lifted hours later.