Latvia says NATO jets activated after brief airspace threat; ‘object’ found near Russian border

Latvia briefly warned of an airspace threat activating NATO fighter jets and urging residents in two eastern regions to shelter indoors.

Latvia's armed forces briefly warned on Monday of a threat in the airspace affecting two regions of the Baltic country and said NATO air policing fighter jets had been activated.

Military personnel of various nationalities monitor air activities during a visit to the facilities from which air operations are planned and conducted, and to see the Joint Force Air Component (JFAC) in action, at the 'Centre Air de planification et de conduite des operations et de defense aerienne' in Lyon Mont Verdun Air Base (Base 942), near Lyon, on October 13. (Representational) (AFP)

"TAKE ACTION! We inform you that there is a threat in the airspace of Latvia," the armed forces said in a post on X, adding that residents in two eastern regions should shelter indoors.

The military later said the danger had passed and that the object was believed to be on the ground in Latvia, in an area near the Russian border.

Ukrainian military drones have been straying into the airspace of Finland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, creating concerns that the war in Ukraine is spilling over into NATO countries that border Russia and its ally Belarus.

As Ukraine attacks Russian Baltic Sea oil shipping ports, some of its drones have missed their targets and led to security warnings in neighbouring countries. In the case of Latvia, it led to a government collapse earlier this year.

Moscow has accused Kyiv of using NATO airspace as cover for attacks, while Kyiv says some of its drones have been steered off course by Russian signal jamming. The NATO countries generally blame Russia for the incidents, saying it ignited the war by invading its neighbour nearly five years ago.