NATO fighters scrambled due to drones approaching Latvian and Estonian borders
The National Armed Forces of Latvia and the Estonian Air Force command reported the interception and monitoring of drones, presumably linked to the conflict in Ukraine.
Tunzale Melikova2 min read
On Tuesday night, fighter jets from the NATO Baltic Air Policing mission were scrambled due to the approach of unmanned aerial vehicles toward the borders of Latvia and Estonia. According to local authorities, the incidents occurred against the backdrop of a large-scale drone attack recorded in the border regions.
In Latvia, an air threat warning was issued in the Alūksne municipality. The National Armed Forces recommended that residents stay indoors, close windows and doors, and follow the "two-wall principle" for safety. Earlier that same night, a similar yellow-level warning was in effect in the Ludza municipality. All restrictions were lifted by 4:17 a.m. local time.
Estonian authorities reported detecting about 10 drones near the border around 2 a.m. Estonian Air Force Commander Brigadier General Riivo Valge clarified that one of the vehicles headed toward the city of Narva, which required the activation of ground-based air defense systems and the scrambling of fighters from the Ämari Air Base. The drone changed course and did not enter the country's airspace.
According to General Valge, another drone briefly crossed the Estonian border in the southeast of the country. The vehicle performed unpredictable maneuvers in the border zone but subsequently left Estonian airspace without landing or crashing. The use of weapons by NATO fighters was not required, and the situation stabilized by 5 a.m.
Latvian authorities noted that such incidents involving drones, presumably used in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, have become more frequent in the Latgale and Vidzeme regions throughout this summer. In several previously recorded cases, the vehicles crashed or were shot down by NATO fighters.
Source: aa.com.tr
