Ukraine to help Latvia protect airspace from Russian drones
Ukrainian drone warfare experts are heading to the Baltic states next week to help Latvia defend its airspace against relentless drone incursions. The move comes as Latvian Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs admitted that traditional NATO defense systems are proving ineffective against modern aerial threats.
Combat-tested specialists from Ukraine will assess Latvia’s vulnerabilities to determine the exact technical equipment needed to secure the region. According to Kulbergs, advanced counter-drone systems from Ukraine could be deployed on Latvian soil before the end of the year, News.Az reports, citing RBC-Ukraine.
The defense partnership was solidified during the Nordic-Baltic Eight (NB8) Summit in Tallinn, where Latvia and Ukraine signed a formal drone cooperation agreement. The urgency follows a string of security failures that recently plunged Latvia into a political crisis. In May, drone strikes on Latvian oil facilities led to the resignation of Defense Minister Andris Sprūds, and just last week, French NATO fighter jets were forced to shoot down an incoming drone over Latvian territory for the first time.
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"We need to turn to those who know better than anyone in the world how to do this," Kulbergs said, emphasizing that Ukraine’s real-world combat experience is vital for European security.
Beyond immediate military threats, the Latvian Prime Minister highlighted economic recovery as a foundational pillar of national defense, noting that proximity to Russia and Belarus has severely strained the local economy. Kulbergs announced plans to seek financial support from Brussels, while also calling for a severe crackdown on Russia's "shadow fleet" of aging oil tankers in the Baltic Sea, which he described as an environmental and geopolitical "ticking time bomb."
Addressing domestic financial strains, Kulbergs also announced major cutbacks to the delayed Rail Baltica railway project, which faces a massive €3.7 billion budget shortfall.
"We can't afford a Bentley, we need to scale back to an Opel," Kulbergs said, urging neighboring Lithuania and Estonia to end regional competition and cooperate on a scaled-back infrastructure plan, with a viable political solution expected within two weeks.
By Aysel Mammadzada
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