Latvia’s former defence minister Andris Sprūds has conceded that there is no “silver bullet” for intercepting errant drones, as the Baltic state grapples with a political crisis triggered by a series of security breaches near the Russian frontier. In an interview with Euronews, Sprūds said he had been “realistic” about the limitations of Latvia’s air defence capabilities, even as the fallout from the incidents forced Prime Minister Evika Siliņa to resign.
The crisis erupted last Thursday when several drones entered Latvian airspace and crashed in the eastern Latgale region, close to the communities of Balvi and Ludza. One drone struck an oil storage facility, sparking a small fire. No civilians were injured, but residents reported that emergency alerts arrived nearly an hour after the incident, fuelling public anger.
Siliņa demanded Sprūds’ resignation on Sunday, accusing the defence leadership of failing to deliver “safe skies over our country.” Sprūds stepped down, but the political turmoil quickly escalated. By Thursday, Siliņa herself resigned after her coalition collapsed amid disputes over the government’s handling of the drone incursions. The situation has left Latvia’s political landscape in disarray ahead of parliamentary elections scheduled for October.
No Easy Fix for Drone Threats
Speaking to the Europe Today programme, Sprūds acknowledged the difficulty of countering drones that have lost their trajectory. “I have always said that it is difficult to deal with drones which have lost their trajectory,” he said. He accepted “political responsibility” for safeguarding Latvia’s defences but argued that the country must now focus on strengthening its resilience against future crises “that are coming.”
Latvia’s political elite have accused Russia of electronically diverting Ukrainian drones into Baltic airspace. Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha described the incidents as “the result of Russian electronic warfare deliberately diverting Ukrainian drones from their targets in Russia.” He offered Ukraine’s assistance to Latvia, Finland, and the wider Baltic region to prevent similar incidents in future.
Jānis Sārts, director of the NATO Strategic Communications Centre of Excellence, warned on social media that Latvia had become “more vulnerable” to external threats amid the political turmoil. Sprūds echoed that concern, cautioning that hostile foreign actors could seek to exploit the instability. “There is manipulation by the aggressor country – by the neighbouring country – whose intentions we know and are aware of,” he said, referring to Russia.
Defence Spending and EU Support
Latvia is in the process of finalising a €3.49 billion defence loan from the European Union under the Security Action for Europe (SAFE) scheme. A spokesperson for the Latvian Defence Ministry confirmed that Riga’s cabinet is working to finalise the package, which would be used to bolster air defences. The loan is part of broader EU efforts to strengthen member states’ military capabilities amid heightened tensions with Russia.
The crisis has also highlighted the interconnected nature of Baltic security. In recent weeks, multiple drones believed to have been targeting Russia have crossed into Latvian, Lithuanian, and Estonian territory, raising fears about the region’s readiness to respond to military threats. The incidents have prompted calls for closer coordination among NATO allies and the EU.
As Latvia navigates this period of political uncertainty, the question of how to secure its airspace remains pressing. Sprūds acknowledged that there are “questions about what we can do now and how we can do it,” but insisted that the country is “moving forward with our air defences.” Whether that will be enough to reassure a nervous public and deter further provocations remains to be seen.
