Latvia’s Defense Minister Andris Spruds has resigned in the wake of an incident involving two Ukrainian drones that entered Latvian airspace from Russia, striking oil storage facilities on May 8. This decision comes after Prime Minister Evika Silina publicly called for his resignation, citing inadequate deployment of drone defense systems.
In a statement, Silina emphasized the failure of political leadership in the defense sector to ensure the safety of the country’s airspace, despite receiving significant funding—nearly 5% of GDP. She expressed that this incident highlighted the need for accountability and clear results in national defense.
Following Spruds’ resignation, Colonel Raivis Melnis of the Latvian Army has been appointed as the new Minister of Defense. Both Latvia and Lithuania have urged NATO to enhance air defense capabilities in the region after the drones breached Latvian airspace and crashed on its territory.
The drone incursion occurred on the night of May 7, when unidentified drones entered Latvia from Russia, prompting the country’s air force to report their subsequent crash. In response, Latvia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned the Russian chargé d’affaires to deliver a formal protest against the incident.
Spruds accepted responsibility for the failure to intercept the drones and indicated he would respect any decisions made by the Saeima regarding his potential resignation.
Earlier incidents involving drones in the Baltic region have raised concerns. On March 23, a drone, likely from Belarus, crashed into Lake Lavisas in Lithuania, approximately 20 kilometers from the border, without being detected by radar. Lithuanian officials later speculated that it was a Ukrainian drone that had deviated from its course.
On March 25, another unidentified drone, also believed to have originated from Russia, crashed and exploded in Latvia. Simultaneously, a drone that had deviated from its path struck a chimney at a power plant in Estonia.
In early April, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova warned the Baltic states, suggesting that they would face consequences if they did not heed Moscow’s warnings regarding the use of their airspace for strikes against Russian targets.
“If the regimes of these countries have enough common sense, they will listen. If not, they will have to deal with a response,” Zakharova stated.
The European Union has also reacted to Russia’s threats, asserting that any violation of a member state’s airspace constitutes an attack on the EU as a whole.
Latvian Defense Minister Andris Spruds resigned after drones from Ukraine struck oil facilities, prompting calls for accountability in national defense. Colonel Raivis Melnis has been appointed as his successor amid rising tensions in the region.
Source: Reuters