Riga, August 14, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
NATO fighter jets taking part in the Baltic Air Policing mission shot down a foreign drone after it entered Latvian airspace on Friday, according to a report.
The Latvian armed forces said the drone entered the country’s airspace due to what they described as Russian electromagnetic warfare and was detected over the Balvi area.
Additional air defence units have been deployed along Latvia’s eastern border and will continue monitoring the country’s airspace, the armed forces said.
They warned that further incidents involving foreign drones entering or approaching Latvian airspace remained possible as long as Russia’s military aggression in Ukraine continues.
Airspace threats were also reported in the areas of Preiļi, Rezekne, Balvi, Augsdaugava and Aluksne, though the threats had subsequently ended.
The incident comes amid a series of drone-related airspace violations reported in NATO territory.
Last month, Romanian Air Force pilots shot down a third drone that had entered Romanian airspace without authorisation. Romania’s Defence Ministry said the drone was intercepted about 12 km northeast of Sulina, within the country’s territorial waters.
Romanian President Nicusor Dan praised the pilots and described Russia’s alleged violations of Romanian airspace as “inadmissible and intolerable”.
An investigation by Romania’s General Prosecutor’s Office determined that the drone shot down in that incident was a Shahed-type drone used by Russia against Ukraine. Investigations into subsequent drone incidents remain underway.
Dan said Romania’s diplomatic protest against Russia would be based on the findings of the investigations.
“It is inadmissible and intolerable for the Russian Federation to continue violating Romania’s airspace, which is, at the same time, North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) airspace and European Union airspace,” he said, adding that such actions were being treated with the utmost seriousness in coordination with allies.
On July 25, another drone that violated Romanian airspace was shot down about 10 km west of Sfantu Gheorghe in central Romania.
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