\n<\/p>\n
NATO combat jets were activated by the Latvian authorities after a suspected drone entered airspace in the east of the country and then left again, the country’s military reported on Sunday.<\/p>\n
No further details were provided.<\/p>\n
The military also issued an alert to the population. In recent week, explosions have been caused by drones coming down on Latvian territory.<\/p>\n
“While Russian aggression in Ukraine continues, there is a possibility of repeated incidents where foreign unmanned aerial vehicles enter or approach Latvian airspace,” the military said.<\/p>\n
It added that the airspace was being constantly monitored along with the country’s NATO allies. Latvia does not possess combat jets and relies on its allies to patrol its airspace.<\/p>\n
Earlier this month, empty tanks at a scarcely used oil depot in the eastern town of R\u0113zekne, some 50 kilometres from the Russian border, were hit by two stray Ukrainian drones.<\/p>\n
No one was injured, but the incident sparked a political crisis in which first the defence minister, Andris Spr\u016bds, and then prime minister Evika Sili\u0146a resigned.<\/p>\n
Sili\u0146a had forced Spr\u016bds out over repeated drone incidents along the country’s borders with Russia and Belarus and his party promptly left the ruling coalition.<\/p>\n
Stray drones are thought to result when Russian air defence forces jam Ukrainian drones attacking targets in north-western Russia.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n