Latvia and Lithuania urge NATO to boost regional air defences
Updated
Updated · Reuters · May 7
Latvia and Lithuania urge NATO to boost regional air defences
11 articles · Updated · Reuters · May 7
In Rezekne, eastern Latvia, two suspected Ukrainian drones crossed from Russia, with one exploding at an oil storage site and damaging four empty tanks.
Latvia issued early-morning border drone alerts, closed schools in several municipalities and said French NATO Baltic air policing jets in Lithuania were dispatched during the incident.
The Baltic states, strong backers of Ukraine, have reported similar stray drone crashes since March and say their territory and airspace are not used for attacks on Russia.
When a stray drone hits NATO soil, who is legally liable: Ukraine, or Russia for jamming it?
As Russian jamming diverts Ukrainian drones, how will NATO prevent an accidental war on its eastern flank?
With millions more drones coming, is a Baltic 'Drone Wall' the only answer to this new threat?
May 2026 Drone Crashes in Latvia Expose NATO Air Defense Gaps and Escalate Baltic-Russia Tensions
Overview
In early May 2026, two Ukrainian drones crashed in Latvian territory near Rezekne after being diverted by Russian electronic warfare, damaging an oil facility and sparking alarms. This incident, part of a pattern including previous drone incursions and Russian drone penetrations into NATO airspace, exposed critical gaps in Baltic air defenses, especially against low-flying drones. In response, the Baltic states pledged to increase defense spending above 5% of GDP, focusing on advanced air defense and counter-drone systems, supported by significant U.S. and EU funding. NATO reinforced its posture with deployments like French Rafale jets and Turkish drone carriers, aiming to build an integrated, multi-layered defense network amid rising diplomatic tensions and ongoing Russian hybrid threats.