Russian Drone Crashes in Latvia, President Calls for Collective NATO Response

Latvian President Edgars Rinkēvičs urged for a unified NATO response after a Russian military drone crashed in the eastern part of Latvia on September 7. In a statement posted on social media, Rinkēvičs emphasized the growing number of such incidents along NATO’s eastern flank and the importance of addressing these threats collectively. “We are in close contact with our allies,” he added, confirming that an investigation into the crash is ongoing.

The Latvian Ministry of Defense confirmed the incident occurred in the Rēzekne region, with initial reports suggesting that the Russian drone entered Latvian airspace from Belarus. According to the Ministry, this marks the first such incursion by a Russian military UAV since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine began. Defense officials notified NATO leadership and law enforcement agencies, and an official investigation is underway.

Defense Minister Andris Spruds stressed the need to strengthen Latvia’s eastern border in response to the increasing risks posed by Russian UAVs. He highlighted plans to enhance the country’s air defense systems and electronic warfare capabilities to better protect Latvian airspace.

This incident comes amid a broader increase in Russian drone activity targeting Ukraine, with similar violations reported by Romania earlier the same day. Ukrainian forces successfully intercepted numerous Russian drones during ongoing attacks in the region, while NATO allies remain on high alert across the eastern front.