Drones flew into Latvia and Estonia
Kyiv • UNN
Drones from Russia were recorded falling in Latvia and Estonia. One apparatus exploded in the Krāslava region, another hit a power plant chimney.
Drones flew into the territory of Latvia and Estonia, writes UNN with reference to Delfi.
Details
According to the Latvian National Armed Forces (NBS), "a drone entered and exploded in Latvian airspace from Russia."
It is reported that the country's Air Force recorded the entry of a foreign unmanned aerial vehicle into Latvian airspace from Russia.
Early warning systems recorded a sound similar to an explosion in the Krāslava region of the country. Units of the National Armed Forces, the State Police, and the State Border Guard of Latvia were sent to the scene.
"Drone debris was found at the scene of the incident. The NBS assured that no further threat to the safety of the civilian population and Latvian airspace was detected. There were no civilian casualties, and no damage was caused to civilian infrastructure," the statement said.
Latvian Prime Minister Evika Siliņa said on TV3 that Ukraine suffered one of the largest Russian attacks last night. "At first glance, it seems that the drone that fell in Latvia could have been Ukrainian. As in Lithuania. I can confirm that a similar incident occurred in Estonia," said Siliņa, quoted by Delfi.
A similar drone could have fallen in Estonia, but there it hit infrastructure. No one was injured in Estonia either, said the Latvian Prime Minister.
An investigation is currently underway in Latvia to clarify all circumstances.
Siliņa confirmed that on the evening of March 24, she was in contact with the Minister of Defense, who was in Kyiv. "In the context of frequent attacks on Ukraine, we must expect that this countermeasure from the Ukrainian side will be impressive. We are near the border and we feel it," said the country's Prime Minister, adding that the good news is that "our systems detected this drone."
The drone exploded in the Krāslava region, 13 kilometers from the border.
The Deputy Chief of the Joint Staff of the National Armed Forces for Operational Affairs, Brigadier General Egils Leščinskis, said on the Rīta panorāma program that an unknown aircraft was detected on radar at 02:19 last night, approaching and crossing the Latvian border.
An air defense unit was dispatched to the scene.
The drone exploded at 02:39 near the village of Dobrychina (Krāslava region). The drone exploded on its own, not after being shot down.
Leščinskis did not speculate on the power of the explosion, emphasizing that neither the drone's manufacturer nor its country of origin has yet been established. Leščinskis noted that the night was generally restless for air defense units - even before the mentioned incident, around midnight, it was recorded that another object also flew into Latvian airspace, made a small turn, and flew towards Russia. Leščinskis noted that both drones deviated from their course or were targeted by electronic warfare means, as a result of which they changed their initial trajectory and "flew where they shouldn't have."
Leščinskis assessed that, in general, the Latvian Ministry of Defense is prepared for such incidents, but "if hostilities are taking place in neighboring countries," 100% security cannot be guaranteed.
The country's Minister of Defense, Andris Sprūds, announced that in connection with the incident, he had interrupted his working visit to Ukraine and was returning to Latvia.
In Estonia, on Wednesday, March 25, at 3:43 AM, a drone crashed into a pipe at the Auvere power plant, as a result of which no one was injured, Delfi notes.
"The drone entered Estonian airspace from Russian airspace," the report says.
Sappers from the country's Rescue Department are working at the scene. The proceedings are being conducted by the state prosecutor's office, and the investigation is being handled by the Security Police Department (Kapo), the publication writes.
"According to the information available at the moment, the drone was not aimed at Estonia. Primary actions are currently underway, and the investigation will clarify the exact circumstances," commented the country's Prosecutor General, Astrid Asi, on what happened.
According to a preliminary assessment by Enefit Power, the power plant did not suffer direct damage, and the incident does not significantly affect Estonia's energy system.
On Wednesday morning, the EE-ALARM alert system sent a message to mobile phones: "Defense Forces: due to Russia's aggressive war against Ukraine, there is a collateral threat of drones in the region. If you see a drone, take cover and call 112. Additional information: KRIIS.EE and 12."
"This is a consequence of Russia's full-scale aggressive war. It can be assumed that we will still face similar incidents," stated the Director General of the country's Security Police, Margo Palloson.
Addition
As previously reported, last Monday in Lithuania, a drone fell on the ice of Lake Lavysas, posing no threat to public safety. Lithuanian Prime Minister Inga Ruginiene stated that the drone was allegedly Ukrainian.