Tensions Rise: NATO Fighter Jets Shoot Down Drone Over Latvia

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) military alliance deployed a number of fighter jets to shoot down a foreign drone detected entering the airspace of Latvia, one of the alliance’s members.

The source or country of origin of the drone shot down in Latvia on Friday (14/8) is not yet clearly known. Latvia has been a NATO member state since 2004.

“We can confirm that two Italian Eurofighter jets were deployed today in response to the presence of a drone in Latvian airspace,” a NATO spokesperson said, as reported by AFP on Friday (14/8/2026).

“One of the Eurofighter jets shot down the drone,” the spokesperson said.

“Two Turkish F-16 jets were also deployed,” the NATO spokesperson added. “All aircraft operated under NATO command,” he said.

NATO has launched an investigation into the incident. “The investigation is ongoing,” the NATO spokesperson said.

The detection of a foreign drone in the airspace of a NATO member state comes amid growing concerns in Europe about unauthorised drone activity, particularly along the eastern flank of the military alliance, which borders Russia, which is still at war with Ukraine.

Both Moscow and Kyiv have relied heavily on drones to carry out attacks in the conflict that has now been ongoing for four years.

The NATO spokesperson’s statement confirmed information from the Latvian Ministry of Defence, which had earlier said via social media platform X that “NATO fighter jets have successfully shot down a foreign drone that entered Latvian territory due to Russian electromagnetic warfare”.

Latvia, which is a member of both the European Union and NATO, shares a direct border with Russia to its east. Together with several other European countries such as Romania and Poland, Latvia has repeatedly experienced airspace violations.

In a meeting on Wednesday (12/8), NATO countries reaffirmed that Russia bears full responsibility for the airspace violations that have occurred. NATO regards these as dangerous and unacceptable actions, and as evidence of Russia’s growing tolerance for risk.