Foreign Drone Found in Forest in Latvia's Aluksne Municipality; Minister Praises Police

A foreign unmanned aerial vehicle, or drone, was found on Saturday, 24 October, in a forest in Liepna parish, Aluksne municipality, in eastern Latvia. Interior Minister Janis Dombrava, of the National Alliance party, commended the State Police for its search efforts and highlighted the role of information supplied by residents. The find matters because it shows that foreign aircraft can end up on Latvian territory.

How the drone was found

The State Police received a report in the morning that possible drone debris had been discovered in the woods of Liepna parish. Officers travelled to the scene and checked the hard-to-reach forest area, and the report was confirmed. The responsible authorities are still working at the site and are establishing the circumstances.

Writing on the social network X, the minister said police kept listening to residents' information and located the drone, which may have come down several days earlier. He urged people to stay vigilant and to keep passing useful information to the authorities.

Local information

Eduards Voilaks, who manages buildings and managed territory in Liepna parish, told the news agency LETA that he had been aware of an explosion because residents had reported it. According to him, the drone fell in a forest owned by the state.

Armed forces' explanation

Latvia's National Armed Forces (NBS) state that Russia's war in Ukraine and the related military activity continue to pose security risks in the region. Electronic warfare systems used by Russia can disrupt the communication and navigation systems of drones, so similar incidents cannot be ruled out, with foreign drones approaching or entering Latvian airspace.

The NBS stresses that it continues to monitor Latvian airspace and cooperates with the responsible state institutions in order to identify potential threats in time and respond appropriately.