The aircraft detected by the sensors of the National Armed Forces (NAF) were likely Ukrainian drones, as indicated by their flight direction and subsequent information about strikes on a Russian port in Primorsk, said Robert Skrūčs, advisor to the NAF commander on military-public relations.
As reported, at 4:42 on Sunday, the National Armed Forces (NAF) reported a possible threat in the airspace of Latvia in the Alūksne, Balvi, Ludza, Rēzekne, and Krāslava regions, and at 7:19 the threat was declared over.
Skrūčs emphasized that if an aircraft does not transmit identification signals, its model and origin cannot be determined remotely using sensors. Visual identification is required for this.
Moreover, the data from the NAF observations do not indicate that the detected flying objects crossed the airspace of Latvia. Skrūčs explained that during the night, the NAF's monitoring systems recorded flying objects moving along the eastern border of Latvia from south to north.
A representative of the NAF explained that the decision to launch a mobile alert to warn the population of the municipalities located along the eastern border of Latvia was made based on the available data, risk assessment, and response algorithms, as electronic warfare means and other military assets can cause an aircraft to suddenly change its flight direction.
As previously reported, the NAF, together with NATO allies, continuously monitors the airspace to ensure immediate response to potential threats. The NAF has strengthened air defense capabilities on the eastern border by deploying additional units there.
As noted by the NAF, while Russian aggression in Ukraine continues, the recurrence of incidents where foreign unmanned aerial vehicles enter or approach the airspace of Latvia cannot be ruled out.
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