French jets down drone over Latvia after Russian EW
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- French aircraft shot down a foreign unmanned aerial vehicle that entered Latvian airspace, taking off from Siauliai airbase in Lithuania and destroying it over an uninhabited area near Berzgale.
- Latvian defence minister Raivis Melnis said the drone was intercepted just after 9 am local time (07:00 GMT) near the village of Berzgale, about 30 km from the Russian border, with no injuries or property damage.
- Latvian foreign minister Baiba Braze thanked France on social media for shooting down the drone, while prime minister Andris Kulbergs praised the swift decision‑making and professional action.
- Latvian military attributed the drone’s entry into its airspace to Russian electronic warfare, suggesting the drone likely originated from Ukraine.
Why it matters: Latvia’s security apparatus gains a concrete demonstration of NATO’s rapid response, while the incident heightens regional worries about the war’s spillover and underscores the risk of further incursions.
