A French Rafale fighter jet shot down a drone that entered Latvian airspace from Russia on Monday (8 June), triggering security alerts and renewing concerns about the impact of the war in Ukraine on NATO's eastern flank.
The Latvian army said the drone crossed into the country "as a result of Russian electromagnetic warfare", although it did not identify who launched it.
"Allied fighter jets successfully shoot down a drone flying into Latvian airspace!" the army said in a post on X.
Earlier in the day, authorities urged residents in eastern Latvia to remain indoors as a precaution while the drone was being tracked.
The warning was lifted after the aircraft was destroyed. However, a separate air threat alert was later issued for people living in the same region, underlining ongoing concerns about activity near Latvia's border.
For communities close to Russia, such warnings have become an unsettling reminder of how quickly regional tensions can spill across national borders.
The incident is the latest in a series of cases involving military drones entering the airspace of countries bordering Russia.
Ukraine has intensified long-range drone attacks against Russian targets in recent months, including in areas near the Baltic Sea. Several drones linked to those operations have previously strayed into the airspace of Finland, Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia.
Ukrainian officials have blamed such incidents on Russian electromagnetic warfare systems interfering with drone navigation and forcing them off course.
The French aircraft involved in Monday's interception is based at Šiauliai Air Base in Lithuania as part of NATO's Baltic Air Policing mission.
The operation has protected the airspace of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia since the three Baltic states joined the alliance in 2004. The current mission also includes Romanian F-16 fighter jets based in Lithuania and Portuguese F-16s stationed in Estonia.
Last month, a Romanian fighter taking part in the same mission shot down a suspected Ukrainian drone over Estonia. NATO described it as the first time a fighter jet had "fired a missile in defence of the Alliance" in the Baltic region.
The latest incident is likely to heighten concerns among NATO members about the growing risks posed by military activity near the alliance's eastern frontier.
Houthi attacks target Riyadh amid concerns over Saudi oil supplies, as Iran says it will not reopen the Strait of Hormuz until its conditions are m...
German voters cast ballots on Sunday in two state elections that could add to the political pressure on Chancellor Friedrich Merz, as his governmen...
Iraq has returned restricted airspace across the western part of the country to civilian authorities, ending limits imposed for military operations...
Iran's Revolutionary Guards Navy said a Togo-flagged oil tanker was struck while attempting to make an “illegal passage” through the Strait of Hormuz, Iranian state media said early on Friday.
Saudi civil defence sent an all-clear on Saturday after issuing alerts for a second time for potential danger in Riyadh and the city of Al-Kharj east of the capital, amid an uptick in attacks by Iran-aligned Houthis on the Gulf country.
The European Union will disburse €3.3 billion ($3.8 billion) to Ukraine for missiles and drones, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said after a phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
The U.S. State Department approved a $2.7 billion military sale to Ukraine for air-defence development upgrades, along with related equipment and services, the department said. Meanwhile, Ukrainian authorities reported at least 10 people had died in Russian attacks over the last 24 hours.
Houthi attacks target Riyadh amid concerns over Saudi oil supplies, as Iran says it will not reopen the Strait of Hormuz until its conditions are met and U.S. commitments are implemented, parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said on Sunday.
German voters cast ballots on Sunday in two state elections that could add to the political pressure on Chancellor Friedrich Merz, as his government faces growing public frustration and a resurgent far right.
Iraq has returned restricted airspace across the western part of the country to civilian authorities, ending limits imposed for military operations against Islamic State since 2016, the Transport Ministry said.
Denmark and Greenland have moved to reassure the public that their sovereignty will remain intact under a new security agreement with the United States.
World leaders are set to gather at the United Nations General Assembly in New York for several days of high-level debate, with Iran, Ukraine, artificial intelligence (AI) and a range of global crises expected to dominate discussions this week.
Ed Sheeran has broken his silence on the controversy surrounding his U.S. tour, apologising for decisions made after rapper Macklemore was removed from the line-up over his public support for Palestine.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment