Latvian Prime Minister Evika Silina called on Defense Minister Andris Spruds to explain the actions of the ministry following a recent incident involving drones entering Latvian airspace. She announced this on May 8, noting that a personal meeting with the minister will take place on May 11.
This is reported by Finway
Criticism of Defense Ministry Actions
According to Silina, the government is dissatisfied with how security issues related to the use of drones are being addressed. She directly labeled the situation regarding the response to violations of the country’s airspace as unsatisfactory.
“The situation regarding the resolution of problems related to drones is unsatisfactory.”
Defense Minister Andris Spruds acknowledged in a comment to Latvian television that the criticism directed at the ministry is justified. He agreed that drones need to be shot down, and this is a direct responsibility of the military leadership and his role as the political leader of the defense ministry. Spruds also expressed his readiness to respect any decision made by the Saeima, including regarding a possible resignation.
Circumstances of the Drone Incident
The Defense Minister pointed out the difficulty of shooting down drones, reminding that in the past year, only once has a drone been eliminated – this incident occurred in Poland when a drone was shot down by a fighter jet. He emphasized that such incidents remain a serious challenge for the air defense system.
On the morning of May 7, two drones that entered from Russia fell on Latvian territory. One of the devices hit an empty oil tank, causing a fire. In connection with this, the Latvian government summoned the temporary chargé d’affaires of Russia and handed over a note of protest regarding the actions of the aggressor country.