Military fighter jets from NATO successfully intercepted and destroyed an unmanned aircraft that violated Latvian airspace on Monday after crossing from Russian territory, according to the Baltic country’s military forces.
Officials have not yet determined where the drone originated from.
In recent months, Ukraine has increased its long-distance drone operations targeting Russia, including missions in the Baltic Sea region, where multiple Ukrainian military drones have accidentally entered the airspace of Finland, Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia.
“Allied fighter jets successfully shoot down a drone flying into Latvian airspace!,” Latvia’s army said in a post on social media X.
Earlier Monday, officials issued warnings to residents in Latvia’s eastern areas, advising them to take cover inside their homes because of the potential danger. Military officials said the alert was lifted after the drone was destroyed.
The increasing frequency of military drones accidentally crossing into airspace belonging to Russia’s neighboring countries has raised worries that Ukraine’s conflict is expanding beyond its borders into NATO’s northern territories.
In the previous month, a NATO military aircraft destroyed what was believed to be a Ukrainian drone flying over Estonia.
