Russia attacked Latvia with two drones
Drones spotted in Latgale
The Latvian Air Force has recorded foreign unmanned aerial vehicles entering the country’s airspace from Russia.
At around 5.30 am, the Latvian National Armed Forces reported that two drones had crashed within the country’s territory. Units from the National Armed Forces, the State Police and the State Fire and Rescue Service are operating at the sites.
The air threat in the Balvi, Rēzekne and Ludza districts has already been lifted. Interior Minister Rihards Kozlovskis stated that there are no signs of a terrorist threat in connection with the incidents. According to preliminary data, the drones were not specifically targeting any particular sites.
At around 3.30 am, the police received a call regarding smoke at a petroleum products storage facility on Komunalas Street in Rēzekne. It is believed that a drone may have crashed on the site.
Guntars Skudra, Chairman of the Rezekne District Council, confirmed that one of the drones had crashed on the premises of the Rezekne branch of East-West Transit. The drone struck an empty oil tank.
Firefighters who arrived at the scene established that there was no longer any open fire. Meanwhile, work continued to cool one of the tanks. After inspecting the oil tanks with a thermal imager, no elevated temperatures were detected.
The State Police cordoned off the area of the incident. The authorities are continuing to investigate the circumstances of the incident.
According to Rihards Kozlovskis, the services are searching for a second drone. According to available information, it may have crashed in a remote, uninhabited area in the Rēzekne region.
Maris Tutins, a representative of the National Armed Forces, told Latvijas Radio that the military had detected several signs of a possible intrusion of aircraft into Latvian airspace during the night. This time, those fears were confirmed.
The National Armed Forces have activated mobile air defence units. A Baltic airspace patrol group has also been put on standby.
Reaction from the Latvian authorities
At the army’s request, warnings were sent out via the mobile alert system at 04:09 in the Ludza and Balvi districts, and at 04:43 in the Rēzekne district.
Residents of the areas where the threat was declared were urged to remain indoors or in safe places, close windows and doors, keep away from suspicious objects and call 112 if they spotted any.
In Rēzekne, the Rēzekne and Ludza districts, classes were cancelled in all educational establishments on 7 May. In the Balvi district, schools switched to distance learning, whilst nurseries remained open.
The Mayor of Ludza, Edgars Mekšs, reported that local government staff had been instructed to work remotely. Once the threat had passed, the local authorities were to decide on further action.
Latvian Prime Minister Evika Silina stated that she was awaiting a report from the relevant ministers following the conclusion of the incidents in Latgale. She urged residents to follow the instructions of the army and the relevant officials.
Latvian Defence Minister Andris Spruds suggested that the drones might have been directed at targets in Russia from Ukraine, but stressed that this was merely a hypothesis and the information needed to be verified.
The Latvian National Armed Forces stated that, together with their NATO allies, they are constantly monitoring the airspace. Air defences on the eastern border have been reinforced with additional units.
Previous incidents
An air threat had previously been declared in Latvia on the night of 3 May. At that time, the mobile alert system was activated in the Aluksne, Balvi, Ludza, Rēzekne and Krāslava districts.
On 25 March, a foreign drone was also recorded entering Latvian airspace from Russia. The drone exploded approximately one kilometre from the centre of the Svarini parish in the Krāslava district.
