LATVIA — NATO fighter jets successfully shot down a drone that entered Latvian airspace, the country’s defence ministry confirmed on Friday.

The interception occurred amid heightened concerns in Europe regarding unauthorized drone activity, particularly in the context of the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.

The Latvian Ministry of Defence stated on X, formerly Twitter, that the drone entered the nation's airspace as a result of Russian electromagnetic warfare. The ministry assured that the threat had ended.

Latvia, an EU and NATO member with a population of approximately 1.9 million, shares a border with Russia to its east. The country and other nations along NATO's Eastern flank have reported numerous drone incursions into their territories.

In a related development, Finland's defence forces announced on X that they had imposed temporary aviation and maritime restrictions in the eastern Gulf of Finland. This precautionary measure was intended to ensure public safety and maintain the operational capabilities of authorities to counter potential drone threats.

Separately, the governor of Russia’s northwestern Leningrad region reported that air defences had shot down 54 Ukrainian drones. Regional Governor Aleksandr Drozdenko stated on Telegram that a fire broke out at the Baltic Sea port of Ust-Luga following the attack.

This incident follows a similar event on Monday, when French fighter jets, part of NATO’s Baltic Air Policing mission, shot down a drone in Latvia. This marked the first instance of the alliance's rapid-reaction force downing a stray drone over the country.

Recent weeks have seen other drone-related incidents in Germany. Last week, German authorities discovered a drone laden with explosives at Leipzig airport. Additionally, operations at Hanover airport were disrupted after a drone entered restricted airspace, officials told AFP on Tuesday.