Latvia downs intruding drone as Finland limits Gulf of Finland traffic
Latvian fighter jets intercepted a drone that entered its airspace, while Finland temporarily barred certain aviation and maritime routes in the eastern Gulf of Finland as a precaution.
Latvia's armed forces, operating under a NATO air-defence mission, engaged and destroyed a drone that entered Latvian airspace early on Friday, after which they removed an air-threat alert for areas close to Russia. In parallel, Finland's defence forces announced a short-term suspension of certain aviation and maritime routes in the eastern Gulf of Finland as a safeguard against potential drone incursions. Both Baltic states withheld details about the drone's make or source.
The incidents occur against a backdrop of frequent air-threat alerts and drone interceptions by countries neighboring Russia and Ukraine, following the full-scale invasion that started in February 2022. Russia, meanwhile, reported shooting down 15 drones in its Leningrad region near Finland and Estonia, according to regional governor Alexander Drozdenko. Northern NATO members are also tightening security around critical infrastructure, fearing possible false-flag attacks using Ukrainian drones.
Why it matters
The actions show rising security tensions in the Baltic region as NATO members respond to increased drone activity linked to the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
In this story
