A French Rafale fighter jet on a NATO mission shot down a drone that entered Latvian airspace from Russia on Monday. The Latvian army attributed the incursion to Russian electromagnetic warfare, following an earlier air threat alert for the region.
The incident highlights escalating security concerns along NATO's eastern border and raises fears of the conflict in Ukraine spilling over into allied territory.
A French Rafale fighter jet, operating as part of a NATO Baltic Air Police mission, shot down a drone on Monday that had entered Latvian airspace from Russia. The Latvian army confirmed the interception, stating the drone entered Latvian territory "as a result of Russian electromagnetic warfare." Earlier on Monday, Latvian authorities had issued an air threat alert for its eastern regions bordering Russia and Belarus, advising residents to seek shelter indoors. The alert was subsequently lifted after the drone was neutralized at approximately 0705 GMT, about 30 km from the border. This incident is the latest in a series of security concerns along NATO's eastern flank. Military drones have recently been detected straying into the airspace of Russia's neighbors, including Finland, Estonia, and Lithuania. These incursions are fueling worries that the conflict in Ukraine could spill over into NATO's northern territories. Ukraine has reportedly increased its long-range drone attacks on Russia in recent months, with some incidents attributed to disruptions from Russian electromagnetic warfare affecting drone paths. The French fighter jet involved in Monday's interception is part of the NATO Baltic Air Police mission, which has been safeguarding the skies of Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia since 2004. The mission also currently includes Romanian F-16 fighters and Portuguese F-16 fighters.