Drone shot down in Latvia had entered from Belarus, ministry says

Latvia's Ministry of Defence has confirmed that an unmanned aerial vehicle shot down over Latvia on Friday entered the country's airspace after crossing the border from Belarus.

Defence Minister Raivis Melnis, quoted by the news programme "Aktuālā kamera," said the drone did indeed fly in from Belarusian territory. He noted that the decision to shoot it down was made on the same grounds as in a previous, similar incident.

According to the minister, whenever a drone enters Latvian airspace and poses a threat to the public, residents or property, the state must act. He stressed that authorities cannot be certain such drones are not carrying explosives or warheads, which is why the precautionary decision was taken to down it.

This marks the second such incident referenced by the minister, who indicated that the same principles guided the response in both cases.