NATO jets shoot down drone in Latvian airspace

NATO said Friday its fighter jets shot down a drone that entered Latvian airspace, the latest incursion along the military alliance's eastern flank bordering Russia.

The military alliance has launched an investigation, a NATO spokesperson said, as concerns grow in Europe over unauthorised drone activity while Russia's war in Ukraine grinds on.

This was the second time that such a drone had been shot down in Latvian airspace, the defence ministry confirmed to AFP.

The first such incursion took place in June, when a foreign drone was also shot down by NATO fighter jets.

Both Russia and Ukraine are relying on heavy use of drones to launch attacks in the four-year conflict.

It was not immediately clear where the drone shot down over Latvia had come from.

"We can confirm that two Italian Eurofighter jets were scrambled earlier today in response to a drone over Latvian airspace. One of the Eurofighters shot down the drone," a NATO spokesperson told AFP, adding that "two Turkish F-16 fighter jets were also scrambled".

"All aircraft were operating under NATO command," the spokesperson added, adding that "an investigation is ongoing" into the matter.

Earlier on Friday, Latvia's defence ministry wrote on X that NATO "fighter jets have successfully shot down a foreign unmanned aerial vehicle that had entered Latvia as a result of Russian electromagnetic warfare".

Latvian foreign minister Baiba Braze wrote on X thanked Italy for "maintaining (the) integrity of NATO airspace".

"This is... a tangible result of NATO Summit decisions in Ankara to upscale the Baltic Air Policing mission to air defence," Lithuanian foreign minister Kestutis Budrys wrote on X, underlining that the Italian fighter jets were deployed in Siauliai, in northern Lithuania.

The EU and NATO member state of about 1.9 million inhabitants shares a border with Russia to the east.

It and other countries along NATO's eastern flank including Romania and Poland have suffered repeated incursions into their airspace.

At a meeting on Wednesday, NATO allies reiterated that Russia bears full responsibility for the airspace violations, which it said are dangerous and unacceptable, and demonstrate Russia's increasing tolerance for risk.

Finland also imposed temporary aviation and maritime restrictions in the eastern Gulf of Finland on Friday, its defence forces said on X.

It described the move as a precautionary measure aimed at ensuring the safety of bystanders and the operational capabilities of authorities to counter potential drones.

In June, French fighter jets deployed to NATO's Baltic Air Policing mission also shot down a drone in Latvia, marking the first time the alliance's rapid-reaction force has downed a stray drone over the country.

German authorities last week found an explosives-laden drone at Leipzig airport, while operations at Hanover airport were disrupted after a drone entered restricted airspace, officials told AFP on Tuesday.