Latvian forces launched a Blaze interceptor to track an unidentified drone that entered the country’s airspace on November 1, then activated its self-destruct mechanism to prevent it from crossing into Russia, public broadcaster LSM reported.
The unidentified aircraft entered Latvia from Belarus at around 7 p.m. and flew through the Krāslava region toward the Russian border.
Latvian forces tracked it until it crossed into Russia through the Ludza district at 7.16 p.m.
Three minutes later, they destroyed the interceptor to avoid a potential border violation.
The unidentified drone was not shot down.
Airspace Warning
Authorities issued an orange alert for the Krāslava and Ludza districts at 6.59 p.m. and lifted it at 7.30 p.m.
The warning, the higher of Latvia’s two mobile alert levels, instructed residents to go indoors and shelter with at least two walls between themselves and the outside.
The drone’s origin and purpose remain unconfirmed.
A Latvian military spokesperson raised the possibility that it was Ukrainian but emphasized that this was speculation.
Previous Incursions
The incident follows repeated drone incursions into the Baltic nation airspace amid Russia’s war in Ukraine.
Latvian authorities have attributed some of these cases to Ukrainian drones diverted by Russian electronic warfare.
In August, NATO fighters shot down a drone over the Balvi region that Latvian authorities later identified as Ukrainian.
The previous month, Latvia announced plans to deploy automated counter-drone systems along its entire eastern border.
The announcement followed a review that identified gaps in early warning coverage and the military’s ability to detect and intercept drones.
Defense Minister Raivis Melnis said greater automation would reduce the number of troops needed to monitor and defend the border.
Earlier, in June, French fighters serving under NATO’s Baltic Air Policing mission shot down a drone that had entered Latvian airspace, following other incursions and crashes in May.