Morning briefing: Latvia probes drones ‘from Russia’ after nocturnal airspace breaches
Latvia is looking into two unmanned aircraft that crossed its border from Russian soil during the night and came down in the east of the country close to a deserted oil‑storage site.
Four vacant tanks were reported damaged, with light smoke observed in one of them. The national public broadcaster recorded a drone hovering over the area on its cameras.
Prime Minister Evika Siliņa called a crisis‑management meeting for 10 a.m. local time. Earlier she noted she remained “in constant communication” with the pertinent ministers and state bodies.
“When the incident is over, I anticipate reports from the responsible ministers detailing what transpired,” she stated.
The probe is still at an early stage, but Defence Minister Andris Sprūds suggested the drones could be Ukrainian units that veered off course because of signal jamming.
He added that this would not be the first occasion a wayward Ukrainian drone aimed at Russian oil facilities ends up in a neighbouring NATO nation, citing prior cases involving Estonia and Lithuania.
“As long as Russia’s aggression in Ukraine persists, the chance of similar episodes—when a foreign unmanned aircraft enters or nears Latvian airspace—remains,” the Latvian army declared in a statement.
The nationwide air‑alert has been lifted, although certain flight restrictions continue to apply.
Elsewhere, I will monitor US Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s visit to Pope Leo in the Vatican, set against the ongoing verbal clash between US President Donald Trump and the pontiff. Prior to that, Pope Leo—who will mark one year in office tomorrow—will also meet with Poland’s Donald Tusk.
Meanwhile, Hungary’s incoming prime minister Péter Magyar is expected in the vicinity, as he is slated to meet Italy’s Giorgia Meloni, once a close ally of Magyar’s rival Viktor Orbán.
Additionally, I anticipate developments in Bulgaria, where President Rumen Radev may be tasked with forming the next government, and I will keep following the hantavirus‑affected cruise that sparked worldwide public concern.
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