Latvia Downs Drone, Finland Restricts Baltic Sea Zones Amid Security Alerts
Heightened Security Measures in the Baltic Region
Latvia Responds to Airspace Intrusion
Aug 14 (Reuters) - Fighter jets on a NATO air defence mission have shot down a drone that entered the airspace of Latvia, a NATO and European Union member, early on Friday, Latvia's armed forces said on X.
The armed forces also lifted an air threat alert for regions close to Russia.
Finland Implements Precautionary Restrictions
Finland, another EU and NATO member which also shares a border with Russia, temporarily restricted areas for aviation and maritime traffic in the eastern Gulf of Finland, its defence forces said on X, as a precautionary measure against possible drones.
Details on the Drone Incident
Latvia's armed forces did not immediately provide details about the drone or its origin.
Regional Context and Ongoing Tensions
Frequent Air Threat Alerts
Countries neighbouring Russia and Ukraine issue air threat alerts and down drones from time to time as Moscow and Kyiv continue to exchange attacks after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Recent Drone Activity in Russia
Overnight, Russia shot down 15 drones in the Leningrad region, close to Finland and Estonia and home to St Petersburg, the country second biggest city and a major export hub, regional governor Alexander Drozdenko said on Telegram early on Friday.
Security Concerns Among NATO Neighbours
Russia's northern NATO neighbours are tightening security around dams, power plants and natural gas infrastructure in a sign of mounting concern that Moscow will stage a "false flag" attack on them using Ukrainian drones.
Reporting Credits
(Reporting by Jekaterīna Golubkova in Tokyo; Editing by Tom Hogue and Raju Gopalakrishnan)
