Incidents of this type have been increasing in recent months. A drone – undetected by any radar – exploded upon contact with the surface of a Latvian lake where it crashed on Saturday, according to authorities in the Baltic state. They have been facing intrusion from Ukrainian drones deviating from their trajectory towards Russia, amidst the ongoing war in Ukraine.
The aircraft fell on Saturday morning into Lake Dridza, in the municipality of Kraslava on the border with Belarus, as reported by the national police who recovered debris after being alerted by locals.
According to the military, the drone went undetected by radars and as a result, no alert was issued to the public.
The outgoing Prime Minister Evika Silina confirmed the incident on her X account and stated she is awaiting “the most detailed information possible.”
Increasingly recurring events
Incursions by Ukrainian drones evading Russian jamming systems have been on the rise in the Baltic States in recent months, due to the intensification of Ukrainian strikes on Russian strategic targets in the Saint Petersburg region, close to Estonia and Finland.
This week, the approach of a drone triggered an unprecedented alert for an aerial attack in Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania. The head of state and the Prime Minister were escorted to shelter, while residents were advised to seek refuge in basements, garages, and designated locations.
These incidents have resulted in no casualties or significant material damage, but have exposed the shortcomings of the air defense of these countries. They cost Evika Silina her position, as she lost her parliamentary majority after forcing her Defense Minister to resign in early May. She is currently handling day-to-day operations until the installation of a new cabinet.
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