NATO fighter jets were scrambled after a drone entered Latvian airspace, with Latvia’s Air Force reporting that the aircraft was intercepted and brought down.
The incident occurred just hours after Russian authorities reported that a major energy export facility in the northwestern Leningrad region had been targeted in a drone attack overnight.
Latvia’s Ministry of Defence later said the drone had entered the country’s airspace “as a result of Russian electronic warfare,” linking the incident to the possible use of electronic warfare systems by Russia.
The incident has heightened concerns over security along NATO’s eastern flank, particularly given Latvia’s proximity to Russia and its position as a member of the military alliance.
The episode also prompted precautionary measures in neighboring Finland, another NATO and European Union member that shares a border with Russia.
Finnish authorities temporarily restricted parts of air and maritime traffic in the eastern Gulf of Finland amid concerns over the possible presence of drones in the area.
The latest incident comes as NATO’s eastern members remain on heightened alert over repeated drone activity and potential spillover from the war in the region. The alliance has repeatedly strengthened surveillance and air-defense measures along its eastern flank in response to growing security concerns.
