Latvian military assesses one intruding drone as Russian and the other as Ukrainian

Latvia’s National Armed Forces released further details on 3 November 2026 about two unmanned aircraft that entered the country’s airspace on two successive days, Latvian public broadcaster LSM reported. The Latvian military said it believed one drone was Russian and the other Ukrainian, BTA reports, citing Reuters. These are military assessments, not independently confirmed identifications.

Military suspects Russian and Ukrainian origin

According to a Latvian military spokesperson, the unmanned aircraft detected on Sunday was of the Russian Geran type and apparently subsequently crossed back over the border into Russia. It is unclear whether it was armed.

The military suspects that Monday’s aircraft was Ukrainian and probably crashed on Latvian territory. However, it has not been found. Without recovered wreckage and a technical examination, this assessment cannot be considered definitive.

LSM stresses that a full picture of the types of the two aircraft and where they ended up is still lacking.

Warnings near the borders and NATO fighters scrambled

On Sunday and Monday, the Latvian armed forces issued air threat warnings in areas near the borders with Belarus and Russia and urged residents to take shelter. NATO fighters assigned to the Baltic Air Policing mission were scrambled during the second incident, BTA and 24 Chasa report, citing Reuters.

The scrambling of fighters does not in itself mean that the aircraft was intercepted or neutralised. It is unclear whether the pilots made direct contact with it or used weapons. The public warnings were also a precaution, not evidence of an established attack on a populated area.

Origin does not reveal who operated the aircraft

The operators, missions and exact routes of the two aircraft remain unknown. Suspected Russian or Ukrainian origin does not establish where they took off from or whether their entry into Latvia was intentional. There is no basis for describing the two incidents as a coordinated operation.

Repeated reporting is not independent confirmation either: BTA and 24 Chasa cite Reuters, while HotNews cites Reuters via Agerpres. Finding the second aircraft, obtaining identification evidence and tracing both flights are important for reaching definitive conclusions.