Politics

Update: Romania and Latvia investigate Russian breach on NATO airspace

 Latvian Police.
Latvian Police. Photo by Artur Widak/NurPhoto via Getty Images
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Romania and Latvia, both supporters of Ukraine in its third year of war with Russia, on Sunday were investigating instances of Russian drones downed after breaching their airspace, authorities in both countries said.

In Latvia, President Edgars Rinkēvičs posted on social media platform X that a Russian military drone had crashed in the eastern part of the country, which at one time was part of the Soviet Union.

"There is an ongoing investigation. We are in close contact with our allies," Rinkēvičs wrote. "The number of such incidents is increasing along the Eastern flank of NATO and we must address them collectively." Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, also writing on X, described the incidents as "a stark reminder that Russia's aggressive actions extend beyond Ukraine" and called for maximum support from Ukraine's allies in the conflict. Romania, a NATO member sharing a 650-km border with Ukraine, has repeatedly found Russian drone debris near the Danube River, close to targeted Ukrainian ports.

The Romanian foreign ministry wrote on X: “Criminal Russian UAVs violated Romania’s airspace, targeting Ukrainian civilian infrastructure. We strongly condemn these violations and urge Russia to stop its reckless escalation.” “We informed Allies and NATO, remaining in close coordination.” the ministry added. Romania scrambled two F-16 fighter jets to monitor the attack. Residents of the southeastern Romanian counties of Tulcea and Constanta were warned to take cover.

Lawmakers have yet to approve legislation enabling Romania to shoot down drones invading the country's airspace in peacetime, with plans to do so in the current legislative session.
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