The Latvian Defense Minister resigned on Sunday following an incident where two drones attacked oil storage facilities in Latvia on Thursday.
Minister Andris Spruds’ decision to step down came after Latvian Prime Minister Evika Silina called for his resignation, stating that he had “lost (his) confidence and that of the public” due to the slow deployment of anti-drone systems.
“The drone incident this week clearly showed that the political leadership of the defense sector has not kept its promise to ensure a safe sky above our country,” Silina wrote, emphasizing the country’s significant contribution to NATO with nearly 5% of its GDP allocated to defense.
Colonel Raivis Melnis has been appointed as the new Defense Minister by the Latvian government.
Two drones crossed the Russian border on Thursday and crashed in Latvia, with one hitting an oil storage site in Rezekne, eastern Latvia. An ensuing fire was quickly contained by the national police.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga stated that the drones entered Latvia due to the “Russian electronic warfare,” suggesting that Ukrainian drones were diverted by Russia.
Multiple Russian or Ukrainian drones have crashed in Latvia, Estonia, and Lithuania since the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Recently, Ukrainian drones fell in Estonia and Lithuania while targeting a Russian port in the Gulf of Finland near Saint Petersburg.
