On 20 May, President Edgars Rinkēvičs chaired a meeting of the National Security Council at Riga Castle.
The Council assessed the threat posed by unmanned aerial vehicles in Latvian airspace. The Council heard conclusions and analysis from the Commander of the National Armed Forces, Major General Kaspars Pudāns, as well as the Chief of the State Fire and Rescue Service, General Mārtiņš Baltmanis, the Chief of the State Police, General Armands Ruks, and the Head of the Crisis Management Centre, Colonel Arvis Zīle, regarding incidents to date and warning messages issued across a wide area of Latvia. The Council emphasised the need for the continuous improvement of effective civilian and military cooperation between the relevant services to ensure the swift exchange of information and timely public communication in the event of threats. At the same time, the Council called upon municipal civil protection commissions and responsible institutions across different sectors to develop appropriate operational guidelines for situations involving threats in national airspace.
The Council expressed its gratitude to NATO Allies for Baltic airspace policing and support, as well as for the presence of Allied forces in the Baltic states, including NATO activities Baltic Sentry and Eastern Sentry.
The Council emphasised that, as Russia’s aggression against Ukraine continues, further incidents involving foreign unmanned aerial vehicles entering or approaching Latvian airspace remain possible.
The Council categorically rejected Russia’s absurd and false claims that Latvia has opened its airspace to Ukrainian drones to carry out strikes against Russia or any other country. This is disinformation spread by Russia with the aim of undermining Allied support for Ukraine’s self-defence capabilities and creating a sense of insecurity and instability among the public. The Council urged all residents to critically assess available sources of information. Latvia will respond appropriately and firmly to any Russian provocation or attempt to destabilise the situation in our country.
The Council also heard a report from the Commander of the National Armed Forces regarding the development of Latvia’s military capabilities and the need for further adaptation, particularly in the field of air defence.
The meeting of the National Security Council heard reports from state security institutions.