Latvia and Romania, both NATO members and staunch allies of Ukraine, have reported recent violations of their airspace by Russian drones amid ongoing conflict in the region.
Romania’s Ministry of National Defence revealed that a Russian drone entered Romanian airspace during nighttime attacks across the Danube River in Ukraine on Sunday. The Romanian government responded by deploying F-16 fighter jets to monitor the airspace and launched a search for debris at a potential crash site near the border. Fortunately, there were no immediate reports of casualties or damage. Bucharest has strongly condemned what it describes as a “renewed violation” by Moscow.
Latvia also reported a drone incident when a Russian military drone crashed in the eastern part of the country. President Edgars Rinkevics confirmed that the drone, which entered Latvia’s airspace from Belarus, crashed near Rezekne, a town approximately 55 kilometers west of Russia and 75 kilometers from Belarus. The Latvian Defence Ministry is investigating the crash site and has not yet reported any casualties.
While Romania has previously confirmed drone fragments on its territory since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the Latvian incursion marks a rare incident. Romania, which shares a 650-kilometer border with Ukraine, has been on high alert due to repeated Russian nighttime attacks on Ukrainian cities, particularly targeting Danube River ports near Romania.
Mircea Geoana, NATO’s outgoing deputy secretary-general and Romania’s former top diplomat, condemned the violations, stating, “While we have no information indicating an intentional attack by Russia against Allies, these acts are irresponsible and potentially dangerous.”
Ukraine’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Andrii Sybiha, condemned the breaches, calling them a “stark reminder that Russia’s aggressive actions extend beyond Ukraine.” He urged for more decisive actions from allies, including enhanced air defence for Ukraine and increased military aid.
In response to these violations, Romanian lawmakers are considering new legislation to enable the country to shoot down drones invading its airspace during peacetime.
Poland has also reported similar incidents, with Russian missiles or drones violating its airspace in December.
The escalating frequency of these breaches underscores growing regional tensions and the urgent need for reinforced airspace security measures.
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