Latvia’s armed forces activated NATO fighter jets on Monday after detecting a threat in the country's airspace. Officials told residents in two eastern regions to stay indoors while they investigated. The military later said the danger passed and an object was found on the ground near the Russian border.
Latvia's armed forces briefly warned on Monday of a threat in the airspace affecting two regions of the Baltic country and said NATO air policing fighter jets had been activated.
"TAKE ACTION! We inform you that there is a threat in the airspace of Latvia," the armed forces said in a post on X, adding that residents in two eastern regions should shelter indoors.
The military later said the danger had passed and that the object was believed to be on the ground in Latvia, in an area near the Russian border.
Ukrainian military drones have been straying into the airspace of Finland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, creating concerns that the war in Ukraine is spilling over into NATO countries that border Russia and its ally Belarus.
As Ukraine attacks Russian Baltic Sea oil shipping ports, some of its drones have missed their targets and led to security warnings in neighbouring countries. In the case of Latvia, it led to a government collapse earlier this year.
Moscow has accused Kyiv of using NATO airspace as cover for attacks, while Kyiv says some of its drones have been steered off course by Russian signal jamming. The NATO countries generally blame Russia for the incidents, saying it ignited the war by invading its neighbour nearly five years ago.