Latvia lodged a protest with a Russian diplomat over the incursion of a Ukrainian drone

On March 25, 2026, the Latvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs sent an official note of protest to the Russian chargé d'affaires in Riga. The incident stemmed from a Ukrainian drone violating the country’s airspace after flying into Latvia from Russian territory on the night of March 25. 

This is stated on the ministry’s website.

The Latvian Foreign Ministry emphasized that waging a war of aggression against Ukraine creates unpredictable security risks for the entire region.

During the meeting, the representative of the Russian Embassy was also told that Latvia condemns the massive attack by Russia on March 24, which resulted in civilian casualties and the destruction of UNESCO World Heritage sites. The Latvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs once again demanded that Moscow immediately cease its aggression and withdraw its troops from all internationally recognized territory of Ukraine. Riga emphasized Russia’s responsibility for any military incidents occurring within NATO airspace as a result of hostilities.

Latvian President Edgars Rinkēvičs confirmed that the drone, which flew in from Russian territory and crashed in Latvia, belonged to Ukraine.

Earlier reports indicated that Latvia had detected a violation of its airspace by a foreign drone, which, according to preliminary data, had flown in from Russian territory. 

Latvian Defense Minister Andris Spruds decided to immediately end his visit to Ukraine and return home.