Russian drone incursions into NATO territory raise alarms in Romania and Latvia
Russian drones violated NATO airspace over Romania and Latvia, prompting swift military responses and concerns over Moscow’s growing reach beyond Ukraine.
Two NATO members reported airspace violations by Russian drones, with one flying into Romania during nighttime attacks on neighboring Ukraine and another crashing in eastern Latvia the day before, Associated Press reports.
On 8 September, a Russian drone breached Romanian airspace during Moscow’s strikes on Ukrainian civilian targets along the Danube, prompting Bucharest to deploy F-16 jets and issue alerts across two eastern regions.
Romania’s Ministry of National Defense confirmed an investigation into a potential impact zone near the border. There were no immediate reports of damage.
Later that day, Latvia also faced a similar incident when a Russian drone crashed near the town of Rezekne. According to Latvian Defense Minister Andris Sprūds, the drone likely strayed into Latvian territory from neighboring Belarus, a major ally of the Kremlin.
Rezekne, a town of over 25,000 people, lies roughly 55 kilometers from Russia and 75 kilometers from Belarus. The incident underscores the growing reach of Russia’s military actions beyond Ukraine’s borders and into neighboring NATO countries.
Mircea Geoană, NATO’s outgoing deputy secretary-general and former Romanian foreign minister, condemned Russia’s violation of Romanian airspace.
In a statement released on the social media platform X, Geoană emphasized that while there was no evidence of a deliberate Russian attack on NATO members, such actions were “irresponsible and potentially dangerous.”
The incursion further strained already tense relations between NATO and Russia, with calls for increased vigilance and defensive measures in border regions.
In a public statement, Latvia’s military similarly noted that there was no evidence to suggest Moscow or Minsk intentionally directed the drone into Latvian airspace. Investigations are ongoing, with military personnel securing the crash site for further analysis.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha also commented on the incidents, calling them a stark reminder that Russia’s aggressive actions are no longer confined to Ukraine. He warned that Moscow’s reach is expanding, posing a direct threat to neighboring countries and underscoring the need for a coordinated international response to curb Russian aggression before it escalates further.
Read more:
- Ukraine repels Russia’s massive nighttime attack involving 78 drones as Belarus downs several UAVs in its airspace
- Most in Poland in favor of downing Russian targets violating Polish airspace, new survey finds
- None of 74 Russian UAVs reaches targets in Ukraine as Belarus deploys fighter to down stray Russian drone
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