Russian Drones Crash in Latvia, Sparking Alerts and School Closures
Incident Overview and Regional Response
By Andrius Sytas and Janis Laizans
Details of the Drone Crashes
RIGA, May 7 (Reuters) - Two drones entered NATO member Latvia from Russia and crashed, the Latvian army said on Thursday morning.
Impact on Rezekne Oil Facility
One of the drones crashed into an oil storage facility in Rezekne, about 40 km (25 miles) from the Russian border, said national broadcaster LSM, quoting the police.
A fire at the site was no longer burning by the time firefighters arrived, it said.
Government Alerts and School Closures
The Latvian authorities have issued drone alerts to residents along the Russian border at 4:09 a.m. local time (0109 GMT) on Thursday, asking them to stay indoors.
All schools will be closed in Rezekne on Thursday, the municipality said.
Context: Previous Drone Incidents in the Baltics
Ukrainian Drone Strikes in the Region
Several stray Ukrainian drones hit Latvia and its NATO neighbours Estonia and Lithuania in late March, one of which slammed into a chimney at a local power station while another crash-landed in a frozen lake and exploded.
Suspected Targets and Launch Origins
The Ukrainian drones were believed to have been launched to strike military targets in Russia.
Baltic Countries' Stance on Drone Attacks
The three Baltic countries have never allowed their territories and airspace to be used for drone attacks against targets in Russia, their foreign ministers said in April.
(Reporting by Andrius Sytas in Vilnius and Janis Laizans in Riga; Editing by Sonali Paul and Jacqueline Wong)
