Latvian defence minister resigns following recent drone incursions that hit oil facilities

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Latvian Defence Minister Andris Spruds resigned on Sunday following a recent incursion by two Ukrainian drones into the Baltic country’s territory.

Latvia’s Prime Minister, Evika Silina, had called for Spruds’s resignation, writing on X that he had “lost (her) trust and that of the public.”

Silina said anti-drone systems had not been deployed quickly enough to counter Thursday’s incursion.

“The drone incident that occurred this week clearly demonstrated that the political leadership of the defence sector has failed to fulfill its promise of safe skies over our country,” Silina wrote.

“That is an enormous responsibility that demands clear results,” she added, emphasising the country’s role as one of NATO’s highest spenders in relative terms, with the country allocating nearly 5% of its GDP to defence.

On Thursday, two drones crossed over the Russian border into Latvia. A fire briefly broke out at an oil depot, but was quickly brought under control by firefighters, according to the national police.

Ukrainian foreign minister Andrii Sybiha said that the drones had flown into Latvia as a result of “Russian electronic warfare.” Latvia and Lithuania called on NATO to strengthen its air defence.

“As long as Russian aggression against Ukraine continues, it is possible that such incidents will be repeated, when a foreign unmanned aircraft enters Latvian airspace or approaches it,” the army said after the incursion.

Colonel Raivis Melnis is now set to take the position of defence minister, Silina said.

Several drones from Russia and Ukraine have crashed in the trio of Baltic states Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022.