Particle.news
Download on the App Store

Drones From Russia Breach Latvia’s Airspace, Hit Oil Facility

Unclear origin of the UAVs puts scrutiny on Latvia’s air defenses.

Overview

  • Latvia’s army said two drones that crossed from Russia early Thursday crashed in the Latgale region, with one hitting an oil storage site in the city of Rēzekne.
  • NATO Baltic Air Policing jets, the alliance mission that guards Baltic airspace, took off from Šiauliai in Lithuania to patrol and returned around 6 a.m.
  • Fire and rescue crews reported four empty tanks damaged and a small smoldering area inside one tank that they extinguished, and no injuries were recorded.
  • Authorities sent cell-broadcast warnings to border districts, urged people to stay indoors, and closed or moved schools to remote learning before lifting the alert at about 8:25 a.m.
  • Police opened a criminal investigation as debris resembling a Ukrainian FP-1 strike drone drew scrutiny, but officials stressed the origin is unconfirmed and the case may drive a push to tighten eastern-flank air defenses.