Latvia accuses Moscow of violating its airspace after a UAV crashed on its territory during the weekend
Latvia’s National Air Force chief, Colonel Viesturs Masulis, announced on Monday that the Latvian military will be taking extra measures to secure the nation’s eastern border after an armed military drone crashed in one of the country’s regions.
The Latvian military said that a UAV loaded with explosives crashed in Latvia’s Rezekne Region on Saturday. They identified the drone as a Russian ‘Shahed’ drone which entered the country’s airspace from Belarus – a close ally of Russia, though not involved in the Ukraine conflict.
Western authorities and media have repeatedly reported that these drones were initially developed by Iran and later provided to Russia. The Russian Defense Ministry refers to these kamikaze UAVs as domestically produced Geran-2 drones.
The Latvian military stated that the country’s air defenses did not shoot down the UAV, which crashed in an unpopulated area. The Armed Forces (NAF) representatives declined to comment on the drone’s specific payload or its potential danger to any populated areas. They also said that the warhead did not explode during the crash.
The NAF said the incident should not be interpreted as “open military escalation,” adding that Latvia was not the target of the attack. NAF commander Lieutenant General Leonids Kalnins admitted that the military lacks electronic warfare equipment that could effectively take down drones. He added that Riga is still waiting for more “effective air defense capabilities” to be delivered by other NATO members.
According to Masulis, additional military units will be sent to the eastern border to strengthen air defense capabilities in the region. Defense Minister Andris Spruds has vowed to raise the issue of air defense and the effectiveness of air patrols along Latvia’s eastern border at the NATO level.
On Monday, Latvia’s Foreign Ministry summoned Russia’s temporary charge d’affaires Dmitry Kasatkin to protest the incident and demand an explanation from Moscow. According to Latvian media, the diplomat said that he would inform the Russian Foreign Ministry about the situation. Moscow has not yet responded to the incident.