Riga, March 25 (NationPress) On Wednesday, Estonia and Latvia reported incidents of drones infiltrating their airspace from Russia. The Latvian National Armed Forces (NBS) confirmed that their air force intercepted an unmanned aircraft crossing into Latvian airspace from Russian territory. The wreckage of the drone was located on-site, but fortunately, no casualties were reported.

"A drone has breached Latvian airspace and subsequently crashed. The Air Force has established the presence of a foreign unmanned aircraft entering from Russia. Our early warning systems detected a noise resembling an explosion in the Kraslava region. Various units, including the National Armed Forces, State Police, and State Border Guard, are currently at the crash site. The wreckage has been recovered, and there is no ongoing threat to civilian safety or Latvian airspace. No civilians were harmed, and there was no damage to any infrastructure. Investigations into the incident are ongoing, and the Kraslava municipality has been alerted," stated Latvia's NBS via X.

In a related development, Latvian Prime Minister Evika Siliņa indicated that preliminary findings hint at the possibility of a Ukrainian drone having crossed into Latvian territory, prompting an investigation into the matter.

"I am maintaining close communication with the Minister of Defense, the National Armed Forces, and responsible agencies, as well as with leaders from Estonia and Lithuania. We are pursuing inquiries into this incident, but initial reports suggest that a Ukrainian drone may have entered and crashed within Latvia's borders. Thankfully, there are no reported casualties," Siliņa noted on X.

"The Kraslava municipality was promptly informed. Tomorrow, I will attend a meeting of the JEF member states to collectively decide with our allies on enhancing our security and supporting our partners in Ukraine," she added.

Meanwhile, Estonia's Internal Security Service (ISS) reported that one drone collided with the chimney of the Auvere power plant in Estonia, while another crashed on Latvian soil, as per Euro News. The Auvere power plant is situated near Estonia's Narva town, adjacent to the Russian border.

ISS Director General Margo Palloson expressed concern, stating, "These incidents are a direct consequence of Russia’s widespread aggression in the region," and raised alarms about the potential for similar occurrences in the future, as reported by Euro News.

In a communication on X, Estonia's Minister of Foreign Affairs Margus Tsahkna remarked, "Tonight, a drone impacted the chimney of the Auvere power plant. Fortunately, there were no significant damages or injuries, and it did not disrupt Estonia’s electricity supply. The drone was not targeted at Estonia; it is a clear consequence of Russia’s full-scale aggression in the region."

"Drone incidents have been reported throughout Europe, including in Belgium, Denmark, Sweden, Lithuania, and most recently in Latvia. We are enhancing our capabilities to address such occurrences. The pressure on the aggressor must persist," he added.

Last September, the Russian Embassy in Denmark dismissed allegations of Moscow's involvement in a drone incident that disrupted Danish airports, labeling such claims as "absurd speculation" and warning that they would be exploited to escalate tensions surrounding the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

"It is clear that the reported disruptions at Danish airports are staged provocations. They will undoubtedly be used to justify further escalations in the conflict interests of those seeking to prolong the situation in Ukraine and extend it to other nations," stated a communication from Russia’s Embassy in Denmark in response to media inquiries.

Following these incidents, Denmark reached out to NATO and the EU after shutting down Aalborg airport and placing three other airports on heightened alert due to unauthorized drones conducting what authorities described as coordinated attacks. Previous drone incursions in Denmark have led officials to suspect possible Russian interference.