NATO shoots down drone in Latvia linked to Russian
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- NATO deploys fighter jets to intercept and destroy a drone within Latvian airspace as part of a defensive mission
- French military operates the NATO jet that shot down the drone, confirming involvement in the alliance's air policing effort
- Latvian authorities attribute the drone incursion to 'Russian electronic warfare,' suggesting it was not an isolated navigational error
Why it matters: This marks the first confirmed armed intervention by NATO within its own airspace linked directly to Russian military activity, escalating the risk of direct confrontation. The incident shifts from passive monitoring to active defense, with Latvia now a tangible flashpoint.
