Latvia and Lithuania have urged NATO to enhance air defenses in their region after two suspected stray Ukrainian drones crashed on Latvian territory, with one exploding at an oil storage facility. Latvia’s Defense Minister, Andris Spruds, stated that the drones likely fell accidentally while launched against Russian targets. He emphasized that the defense of the airspace is a shared duty among NATO allies.
The incident involved damage to four empty oil tanks at a facility in Rezekne, near the Russian border, where debris from one drone was found. Residents reported hearing explosions, and some expressed fear, leading them to prepare to leave their homes. In response, Latvian authorities issued drone alerts to residents and closed schools in several border municipalities.
French military jets from the NATO Baltic air policing mission were called to the area during the alerts. Lithuania’s Defense Minister, Robertas Kaunas, called for increased airspace security and anti-drone defenses from NATO, highlighting the real threats posed by drones crashing into NATO countries. Previous incidents in March had also seen stray Ukrainian drones land in the Baltic states. The three Baltic nations have asserted that they do not permit their territories to be used for drone attacks against Russian targets.
With information from Reuters
