Latvia and Romania, both NATO members, reported separate incidents involving Russian drones over the weekend, raising concerns about increasing airspace violations along the alliance’s eastern flank. On Sunday, Latvian President Edgars Rinkevics confirmed that a Russian military drone had crashed in eastern Latvia, near the town of Rezekne, which lies close to the Belarusian border. The incident followed similar airspace violations in neighboring NATO countries and marked a rare occurrence for Latvia, which has had strained relations with Moscow, particularly since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Latvia’s Defense Minister Andris Sprūds stated that the drone likely entered Latvian airspace from Belarus, a close ally of the Kremlin. In response, he emphasized the need for strengthening Latvia’s eastern border defense, including the development of air defense and electronic warfare capabilities to counter unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).
On the same day, Romania reported that a Russian drone had violated its airspace during an overnight attack targeting civilian infrastructure in Ukraine along the Danube River. Romanian authorities deployed F-16 fighter jets to monitor the incursion, issued alerts to residents in the affected regions, and launched an investigation. NATO officials condemned the airspace breach, with Romania’s defense ministry describing the attack as an unjustified escalation.
These incidents reflect growing concerns among NATO members about Russia’s aggressive actions and their potential spillover into allied territories. Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Poland and Romania have both experienced similar airspace breaches by Russian drones or missiles.
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