Airspace threat over Balvi and Ludza municipalities ends; object may have fallen in Balvi area

An airspace threat alert was declared overnight in the Balvi and Ludza municipalities in eastern Latvia, and according to initial information the object came down in the Balvi municipality. The National Armed Forces (NBS), Latvia's military, told the portal Delfi. The incident matters because it follows another unidentified object entering Latvian airspace a few days earlier, while Russia continues its war against Ukraine.

What is known

The alert was issued shortly after 00:10. About 20 minutes later, a notice was sent out saying the threat was over. NATO fighter jets from the alliance's air policing mission were scrambled in Baltic airspace.

To pinpoint the object's location and establish the circumstances, search operations on the ground will continue. The NBS urges residents who notice a suspicious object or its debris not to approach or touch it, and to report it immediately by calling the single emergency number 112.

The earlier case

It was previously reported that an unidentified flying object entered Latvian airspace on Sunday, 1 November, and left by crossing the Latvian-Russian border. In response, an interceptor drone called "BLAZE" was used. After the object had left Latvian airspace, the NBS activated the drone's self-destruct mechanism to avoid any risk of a violation of the state border.

Defensive measures

The NBS and NATO allies continuously monitor airspace so they can react immediately to a potential threat. Air defence capabilities on the eastern border have been reinforced with additional units. The NBS says that as long as Russia's aggression in Ukraine continues, similar cases, in which foreign unmanned aircraft approach or enter Latvian airspace, may recur.