Latvia’s armed forces ordered residents to take cover in the middle of the night after a drone entered the country’s airspace, and NATO jets brought the aircraft down later. Finland also restricted sea and air traffic in the eastern Gulf of Finland.
The alert was announced shortly after 3 a.m. local time on Friday, Aug. 14.
– Air threat in Latvian airspace. Take shelter in a safe place indoors and apply the two-wall rule. If you notice a low-flying or suspicious object, do not approach it and call 112 – the Latvian Armed Forces said.
The initial warning promised residents they would be told when the danger ended. The military later confirmed the threat was over.
– NATO allied aircraft successfully destroyed an unmanned aerial vehicle that had entered Latvian airspace – the Latvian Armed Forces said.
Finland limits traffic in the Gulf of Finland
Finland’s defence forces said they had established a temporary restricted area for aviation and maritime traffic in the eastern part of the Gulf of Finland. The announcement was posted on X.
The measure came as the Baltic region was dealing with another drone incident. NATO’s enhanced air policing mission has been active over the Baltic states.
Earlier drone incidents in the Baltics
In mid-May, Latvia and Estonia issued public warnings over drone dangers. Estonian Defence Minister Hanno Pevkur said one unmanned vehicle had entered Estonian airspace and was shot down by a Romanian Air Force F-16 fighter taking part in NATO’s Baltic air-policing mission.
In Latvia, one drone was reported to have crashed near Preili in the Latgale region. Train traffic was halted in five regions because of the threat.
Those events were part of a string of similar situations in the Baltic region in recent months.
Źródło: polsatnews.pl, Fot. polsatnews.pl
