Two Drones Crash in Latvia, Damaging Oil Storage Facility
Two unmanned aerial vehicles crashed within Latvian territory on Thursday, May 7, following an aerial incursion that damaged an oil storage facility, according to the National Armed Forces.
The National Armed Forces reported that air surveillance radars detected the potential aerial threat in the municipalities of Balvi and Ludza after unmanned aerial vehicles entered Latvian airspace from Russia. During the incident, two drones crashed within the country, while a third drone crossed through the airspace before exiting.
The incursion underscores the ongoing security challenges regarding airspace sovereignty in the region. In immediate response to the detected threat, NATO Baltic Air Policing aircraft were deployed to patrol Latvia’s eastern border for several hours. Officials noted that these operations follow established protocols that permit the engagement of aerial targets only after visual identification has been confirmed and when there is absolute certainty that such action will not endanger civilian lives or public safety.
Emergency responders were alerted to a possible fire at an oil storage facility in Rēzekne. Upon arrival, the State Fire and Rescue Service discovered that four empty oil storage tanks had been damaged by an external impact. The service successfully extinguished the fire.
Following a request from the National Armed Forces, the State Fire and Rescue Service issued cell broadcast alerts to residents in the municipalities of Ludza and Balvi, later extending similar alerts to the Rēzekne municipality.
The National Armed Forces and the State Police are currently investigating the incident, and criminal proceedings have been initiated under Chapter 10 of the Criminal Law. While drone debris was identified at the oil storage facility, the search for the potential crash site of the second drone continued through Friday, May 8. The origin of the drones has not yet been confirmed, officials stated.
