NATO fighter jets have shot down a drone that entered Latvian airspace, the country’s Defence Ministry and armed forces confirmed on Friday.
The incident comes amid growing concerns across Europe over unauthorised drone activity, particularly as the Russia-Ukraine war continues to fuel heightened security tensions across the continent.
The Latvian Defence Ministry said on X that NATO fighter jets had successfully destroyed a foreign unmanned aerial vehicle after it entered Latvian airspace as a result of what it described as Russian electromagnetic warfare.
Latvia’s armed forces later confirmed that the threat had been neutralised, saying allied fighter jets had destroyed the drone after it crossed into the NATO member state’s airspace.
Latvia, which has a population of about 1.9 million, shares a border with Russia and is one of several NATO countries on the alliance’s eastern flank to have experienced drone incursions.
The incident came as neighbouring Finland announced temporary restrictions on aviation and maritime activities in the eastern Gulf of Finland.
Finland’s defence forces described the measures as precautionary, aimed at protecting civilians and ensuring authorities retained the ability to respond to potential drone threats.
The latest incident adds to a series of drone-related security concerns across Europe.
On Monday, French fighter jets participating in NATO’s Baltic Air Policing mission shot down a drone over Latvia. The incident marked the first time NATO’s rapid-reaction force had destroyed a stray drone over the country.
Meanwhile, Russian authorities reported another wave of drone attacks on Friday.
Aleksandr Drozdenko, governor of Russia’s northwestern Leningrad region, said air defences had intercepted and destroyed 54 Ukrainian drones.
According to Drozdenko, the attack sparked a fire at the Baltic Sea port of Ust-Luga.
Elsewhere in Europe, German authorities recently discovered an explosives-laden drone at Leipzig airport, while operations at Hanover airport were disrupted after another drone entered restricted airspace.
The incidents have intensified concerns among European governments over the security implications of unidentified and potentially hostile drones operating near critical infrastructure and sensitive airspace.
