Two NATO members on Sunday said that Russian drones violated their airspace, as one reportedly flew into Romania during nighttime attacks on neighboring Ukraine, while another crashed in eastern Latvia the previous day.
A drone entered Romanian territory early on Sunday as Moscow struck “civilian targets and port infrastructure” across the Danube in Ukraine, the Romanian Ministry of National Defense said.
It added that Bucharest had deployed F-16 warplanes to monitor its airspace and issued text alerts to residents of two eastern regions.
Photo: Reuters
It also said investigations were underway of a potential “impact zone” in an uninhabited area along the Romanian-Ukrainian border. There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage.
Latvian Minister of Defense Andris Spruds later on Sunday said that a Russian drone fell the day before near the town of Rezekne, and had likely strayed into Latvia from neighboring Belarus.
Rezekne, home to more than 25,000 people, lies 55km west of Russia and 75km from Belarus, the Kremlin’s close ally.
While the incursion into Latvian airspace appeared to be a rare incident, Romania has confirmed drone fragments on its territory on several occasions since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, as recently as July.
Mircea Geoana, NATO’s outgoing deputy secretary-general and Romania’s former top diplomat, on Sunday morning said that the military alliance condemned Russia’s violation of Romanian airspace.
“While we have no information indicating an intentional attack by Russia against Allies, these acts are irresponsible and potentially dangerous,” he wrote on social media.
Latvia’s military on Sunday similarly said there were no indications that Moscow or Minsk purposely sent a drone into the nation. In a public statement, the military said it had identified the crash site and that a probe was ongoing.
Spruds sought to downplay the significance of the drone incursion.
“I can confirm that there are no victims here and also no property is infringed in any way,” Spruds told Latvian Radio on Sunday, adding that any risks in the event were immediately eliminated. “Of course, it is a serious incident, as it is once again a reminder of what kind of neighboring countries we live next to.”
Ukrainian Minister of Foreign Affairs Andrii Sybiha called the incursions “a reminder [that] the aggressive actions of the Russian Federation go beyond Ukraine’s borders.”
“The collective response of the Allies should be maximum support for Ukraine now, to put an end to [Russian aggression], protect lives and preserve peace in Europe,” Sybiha wrote on social media.
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