Latvian President says Russian invasion of Baltics unlikely but air-defence gaps remain

Latvian President Edgars Rinkevics told one outlet that a conventional Russian assault on the Baltic nations is off the table, but warned that Europe’s air-defence and anti-drone systems are already under strain. He said that a limited Russian missile strike on European territory would pose a serious challenge for many states, given current gaps in air-defence, drone protection and ballistic-missile interception that Ukraine and NATO members share.

Rinkevics pointed to the slow delivery of U.S. Patriot systems and said licensing talks for European and Ukrainian production are progressing but remain slow. He dismissed the prospect of a full-scale ground invasion of the Baltics, yet stressed that hybrid tactics—sabotage, cyber-operations and drone or missile attacks—are increasing. The president also referenced upcoming Russian State Duma elections, predicting that Moscow may launch a mobilisation afterwards to pressure Ukraine and deter Western aid. He concluded that vigilance is essential as Russia tests NATO’s Article 5 through such actions.