NATO fighter jets shot down a drone after it entered Latvian airspace, marking the latest in a series of incursions along the alliance’s eastern frontier with Russia.
A NATO spokesperson said an investigation had been opened as European countries remain increasingly alert to unauthorised drone activity amid Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine.
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Latvia’s defence ministry confirmed that the incident was the second occasion on which a drone had been downed over the country.
The first occurred in June, when NATO fighter jets also destroyed a foreign drone in Latvian airspace.
Officials had not immediately established where the drone involved in the latest incident originated.
Watch: Latvian soldiers search area where drone was shot down
“We can confirm that two Italian Eurofighter jets were scrambled earlier today in response to a drone over Latvian airspace. One of the Eurofighters shot down the drone,” a NATO spokesperson said. “Two Turkish F-16 fighter jets were also scrambled.”
The spokesperson said all of the aircraft were operating under NATO command and confirmed that “an investigation is ongoing” into the incident.
Latvia’s defence ministry had earlier said on X that NATO “fighter jets have successfully shot down a foreign unmanned aerial vehicle that had entered Latvia as a result of Russian electromagnetic warfare”.
Latvian Foreign Minister Baiba Braze thanked Italy on X for “maintaining (the) integrity of NATO airspace”.
We are grateful to our Italian allies for serving in #NATO Baltic Air defence mission and maintaining integrity of NATO airspace. A foreign unmanned aerial vehicle was shot down last night by our Italian allies above Eastern Latvia. #WeAreNATO
— Baiba Braže (@Braze_Baiba) August 14, 2026
“This is… a tangible result of NATO Summit decisions in Ankara to upscale the Baltic Air Policing mission to air defence,” Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kestutis Budrys wrote on X, noting that the Italian jets involved had been deployed at Siauliai in northern Lithuania.
Latvia, an EU and NATO member with a population of about 1.9 million, shares a border with Russia to the east.
It is among several countries on NATO’s eastern flank, including Romania and Poland, to have experienced repeated airspace incursions.
At a meeting on Wednesday, NATO allies said Russia bore full responsibility for the violations, describing them as dangerous and unacceptable signs of Moscow’s growing willingness to take risks.
Finland’s defence forces said on X today that the country had also introduced temporary aviation and maritime restrictions in the eastern Gulf of Finland.
The restrictions were described as a precaution designed to protect bystanders and preserve authorities’ ability to respond to potential drone activity.
In June, French fighter jets assigned to NATO’s Baltic Air Policing mission shot down a drone in Latvia. It was the first time the alliance’s rapid-reaction force had brought down a stray drone over the country.
German authorities last week discovered an explosives-laden drone at Leipzig airport. Operations at Hanover airport were also disrupted after a drone entered restricted airspace, officials said on Tuesday.
