Daukšte: drone incidents near Latvia should not be called “visits”

Latvian journalist Daukšte has criticized the way media and public discourse describe drone flights over Latvian territory, pointing out that the commonly used headline phrasing describing drones as having “paid a visit” downplays the seriousness of the situation. She stressed that such incidents represent a very serious security threat that should not be trivialized through casual word choice.

Possible hybrid provocation scenarios

According to Daukšte, warnings have already been voiced about a potential Russian “false flag” or hybrid operation designed to create the impression that an attack on Russia originated from the territory of a NATO member state. She noted that such scenarios are once again being actively discussed.

One possible variant she described involves redirecting a large number of drones, using electronic methods, from Latvian territory toward Russia. This could then be used to claim that Latvia — or another NATO member such as Estonia or Lithuania — had carried out an attack, providing a pretext for a retaliatory strike.

Call to remain vigilant

Daukšte was careful to note that such a scenario is unlikely to actually be carried out. Nevertheless, she believes that possible drone incidents should not be dismissed as insignificant occurrences.

She emphasized that becoming complacent on this issue, or using overly soft language when discussing drones, would be shortsighted and even dangerous, given the current security situation linked to Russia's war in Ukraine.