Latvia Defense Minister Resigns After Ukrainian Drone Strikes Fuel Depot

Latvia’s minister of defense resigned after two Ukrainian drones struck an empty fuel depot in the country. The drones entered Latvian airspace from Russian territory on May 7. No one was injured in the strike. A Ukrainian official confirmed that the drones had been launched by Ukraine but were not targeting Latvia.

The official said the misdirection resulted from Russian electronic warfare deliberately diverting the drones from their intended targets in Russia. The incident occurred about 40 kilometers inside Latvian territory from the Russian border. Four empty oil storage tanks were damaged and firefighters extinguished a smoldering area of around 30 square meters.

Schools in Rēzekne were closed, air raid alerts were declared across three municipalities, and residents reported hearing explosions. French NATO Baltic Air Policing jets were scrambled during the alert.

Ukrainian drones crashing into Baltic allies’ territory have occurred since March. One earlier drone struck a power plant chimney. Latvian officials initially said the drones were not shot down because the safety of civilians and infrastructure could not be guaranteed.

The defense minister later reversed that position, stating that drones must be shot down as a responsibility of the armed forces and political leadership. Following the May 7 strike, the prime minister said the defense minister had lost her trust and that of the public.

The minister resigned on Sunday and was replaced by Col. Raivis Melnis of the Latvian Army.

Lithuania jointly called on NATO to boost regional air defenses after the latest strike. The Baltic states have used the incidents to call for stronger air defense measures. So far, there have been no deaths or injuries reported from the wayward Ukrainian drones.