Published on •Updated
The Latvian National Armed Forces (NBS) has issued an alert to residents after detecting “at least one” unmanned aerial vehicle in its airspace.
In a statement posted to X, the NBS initially warned of a “possible threat” to airspace over the eastern regions of Ludza, Krāslava, Rēzekne, and Augšdaugava, before confirming it had detected a UAV.
“Seek shelter indoors, close windows and doors—follow the two-wall principle,” it told residents. “If you notice a low-flying, suspicious, or dangerous object, do not approach it and call 112. We will inform you when the threat has ended.”
The NBS said it had deployed additional units to Latvia’s eastern border to strengthen air capabilities.
On Wednesday, Lithuania’s Vilnius airport temporarily shut down after the government announced a suspected drone threat over its airspace.
Lithuania’s Ministry of Defence said the drone had been approaching from Belarus and was detected near the border. NATO jets were scrambled to identify the threat.
Following the incident, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said “Russia’s public threats against our Baltic States are completely unacceptable.”
“Russia and Belarus bear direct responsibility for drones endangering the lives and security of people on our Eastern flank,” she added in a post on X.