NATO fighter jets shoot down drone in Latvia; Finland establishes restricted zone

Published Aug 14, 03:10 AM UTC

A foreign drone entered Latvian airspace in the Balvi region, prompting NATO fighter jets to shoot it down. Latvia temporarily declared an air alert, urging residents to stay indoors, before lifting it. The Latvian military suggested the drone may have been a Ukrainian drone repelled by Russian electronic warfare, though its origin was not confirmed. The incident highlights ongoing tensions along NATO's eastern flank amid the Ukraine war. Separately, Finland established a temporary restricted zone for air and maritime traffic in the eastern Gulf of Finland during the night. Both Latvia and Finland share borders with Russia. The specific NATO nation whose jets conducted the shootdown was not identified, as larger NATO states rotate air policing duties for the Baltic states.

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