Drones enter Latvian airspace, crash reported as authorities investigate incident

Several drones entered Latvian airspace from the direction of Russia early Thursday, with two of them later crashing, according to Latvia’s National Armed Forces (NBS).

The incident prompted a coordinated response involving the armed forces, State Police, and the State Fire and Rescue Service, News.Az reports, citing Kyiv Post.    

Emergency services received multiple calls around 03:30 reporting a possible fire at an oil depot on Komunala Street in the eastern city of Rēzekne. Firefighters later confirmed there was no active fire but carried out precautionary cooling of a storage tank.

At 04:09, the armed forces issued emergency alerts for residents in Ludza, Balvi, and Rēzekne municipalities, warning of a possible airspace-related threat. A second alert was later issued for Rēzekne.

Residents reported hearing engine-like sounds in the sky during the night, along with flashes of light and explosion-like noises.

Authorities later confirmed that one drone crashed at the Rēzekne branch of East-West Transit Ltd., striking an empty oil storage tank. The location of a second drone crash remains under investigation.

Local officials also reported emergency responses to possible explosion-related calls near a railway area and a supermarket in Rēzekne. Deputy State Police Chief Andris Zellis said the incident is being treated as a criminal investigation, and searches are ongoing for debris from the second drone. He added that the situation at the site has been stabilised and there is no ongoing threat.

Residents in affected areas were advised to remain indoors during the alerts, keep windows and doors closed, and avoid approaching any unidentified objects.

The incident comes amid reports of large-scale drone activity in the wider region overnight, with multiple countries reporting increased air defence operations and disruptions linked to aerial incidents.

News.Az 

By Leyla Şirinova