Latvia’s President Edgars Rinkevics announced on Sunday that a Russian military drone crashed on Latvian territory, underscoring growing concerns about airspace breaches along NATO’s eastern borders. The incident, which occurred in the eastern part of Latvia, is currently under investigation.
President Rinkevics reported on X (formerly Twitter) that the drone entered Latvian airspace from Belarus before crashing in the municipality of Rezekne. He emphasized the increasing frequency of such incidents along NATO’s eastern flank and stressed the need for a unified response from NATO allies.
Latvia’s Defence Minister Andris Spruds highlighted the necessity of bolstering Latvia’s eastern border security, including enhancing air defence and electronic warfare capabilities to mitigate the impact of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).
In a related development, Romania condemned a breach of its airspace by a Russian attack drone that had been targeting civilian infrastructure in Ukraine. This incident reflects the ongoing volatility in the region, exacerbated by Russia’s continued military operations in Ukraine, particularly in the Odesa region following the collapse of a grain export deal.
Poland, another NATO member, has also reported incidents of airspace violations by Russian missiles or drones, including two such cases in December 2023. Last month, Poland initially claimed a flying object had entered its airspace but later retracted the statement.
Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski recently argued that Poland should have the authority to intercept Russian missiles targeting Ukraine before they reach Polish airspace, despite NATO’s stance on the matter.
These developments highlight the escalating tensions in Eastern Europe and the need for enhanced coordination and defense measures among NATO member states in response to the ongoing conflict and security challenges posed by Russia.
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