RIGA, Latvia — Wednesday’s statement from the Latvian National Armed Forces described three unmanned aircraft entering the country’s airspace in the night leading into Nov. 11. Two of them were over Latvian territory at the eastern border for one to two minutes. The third stayed much longer, crossing the country from south to north.
Latvia’s armed forces responded by activating interceptor drone units and air defence units. Fighters from NATO’s Baltic airspace policing mission were also activated, the statement said.
The armed forces issued the account to explain a series of cell broadcast alerts sent during the night. Of the three aircraft that entered, two crossed the border in the eastern border area. That third aircraft had entered from Lithuania, crossed Latvian territory and flown on toward Estonia.
Alerts Begin Late on Tuesday
The first warning came at about 11:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 10, in Ludza Municipality, where two unmanned aircraft had briefly entered Latvian airspace. Krāslava and Augšdaugava municipalities were next. A possible threat was announced there as well, as another aircraft approached the state border from Belarus.
Later, the level in Krāslava was raised, while Augšdaugava’s remained at a possible threat, and the aircraft in question never did enter Latvian airspace. As the situation changed, the level in Ludza and Krāslava was lowered, and after midnight the warnings in all three municipalities were cancelled.
At about 1 a.m., a possible airspace threat was announced in Balvi Municipality, where the level was later raised. Three unmanned aircraft approaching the Latvian border were behind those warnings. Those aircraft did not enter. Instead, they changed course and continued north over Russian territory, so the airspace threat was cancelled.
One Drone Crosses the Country
At about 2:30 a.m., a possible airspace threat was announced in Aizkraukle Municipality, where the level was soon raised. Possible threats were announced at the same time in Jēkabpils and Madona municipalities. One unmanned aircraft, the one that had entered Latvian airspace from Lithuania, was behind those warnings.
As that aircraft continued its flight over Latvian airspace at about 3 a.m., the threat level was raised in Madona Municipality, and a threat was announced in Cēsis Municipality as well. The warnings in Jēkabpils and Aizkraukle were cancelled at the same time.
The Madona threat was later cancelled, and possible threats were announced in Smiltene and Gulbene municipalities. The level in both was later raised, while the Cēsis threat was cancelled. Once the aircraft had left Latvian airspace, the warnings in Smiltene and Gulbene were also cancelled.
NATO fighters had been activated while the aircraft was still over Lithuania, and they continued to respond as it flew over Latvia, according to the statement. The conditions needed to destroy the aircraft did not arise in that situation, the armed forces said, adding that civilian safety was also taken into account. The aircraft left Latvian airspace, flew on toward Estonia and was later lost from airspace surveillance sensors.
Review Planned, Monitoring Continues
An evaluation will follow. The armed forces said they will work through the night’s events with NATO allies — the detection of the airspace threats, the exchange of information and the response measures that were taken — to find possible improvements for similar situations in the future. At present, the armed forces’ interceptor drone units are stationed only in the eastern border area.
The armed forces said they and NATO allies are continuing to monitor Latvian airspace and are ready to respond to possible threats. Residents were urged to follow official announcements and the instructions of the responsible services. Residents who notice a suspicious unmanned aircraft, an unknown object or debris from one are asked not to approach or touch it, but to report it immediately by calling 112, the single emergency call number.