French NATO fighter jets stationed in the Baltic region shot down a drone that had entered Latvian airspace on Monday, marking a rare interception under the alliance’s Baltic Air Policing mission. It follows a series of similar incidents linked to the war in Ukraine as Moscow and Kyiv step up drone strikes on each other.
Issued on: 08/06/2026 - 16:14
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Latvia’s military said in a statement that the unmanned aerial vehicle had crossed into its territory "as a result of Russian electronic warfare", without specifying its origin. Officials suggested the drone may have been diverted from its intended course amid ongoing interference linked to the war in Ukraine. Latvian Foreign Minister Baiba Braze praised the operation, writing on social media platform X: "Thank you, our French Allies, for taking down the drone that flew into Latvian airspace!" According to Lithuanian military spokesperson Gintautas Ciunis, two French jets deployed at the Siauliai airbase in northern Lithuania were scrambled and neutralised the drone at around 10:00 local time. Drone incident near French carrier in Sweden points to possible Russian link The incident is the first confirmed case of NATO aircraft intercepting and destroying a drone over Latvia as part of the Baltic Air Policing mission, which has operated since 2004 to safeguard the airspace of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, both Russian and Ukrainian drones have crashed in the Baltic states and beyond, raising concerns over airspace security and the risk of escalation.
