Latvia Government Collapses After Drone Crisis Near Russian Border

by Stefan J. Bos, Worthy News Europe Bureau Chief

RIGA/BUDAPEST (Worthy News) – Latvia’s government collapsed Thursday after Prime Minister Evika Siliņa resigned amid a political crisis triggered by Ukrainian drones crashing inside Latvian territory near the Russian border.

Siliņa stepped down after firing Defense Minister Andris Sprūds over criticism of his handling of incidents involving three drones that entered Latvian airspace on May 7.

The minister’s left-leaning Progressive Party then withdrew support from the governing coalition, leaving the administration without a parliamentary majority months before October’s parliamentary elections.

“Seeing a strong candidate for the post of defense minister… political windbags have chosen a crisis,” Siliņa said Thursday. “I am resigning, but I am not giving up.”

DRONES CRASHED

The political fallout followed the second known drone incident in Latvia this year.

Both Latvia and Ukraine acknowledged that the unmanned aerial vehicles may have been Ukrainian drones intended for targets inside Russia whose signals were reportedly jammed, causing them to veer into Latvian territory.

One drone crashed into the ground while another struck an empty oil storage facility near the eastern Latvian town of Rezekne. A third drone briefly crossed Latvian airspace before leaving again, officials said.

No casualties were reported. However, residents criticized what they described as a slow and inadequate official response in a nation that was once part of the Moscow-led Soviet Union before regaining independence in 1991.

DELAYED ALERTS

Locals told media that Latvia’s emergency cell-broadcast warning system was not activated until about an hour after one drone crashed near Rezekne.

“Something went wrong. We cannot afford for this situation to continue,” Siliņa said after the incidents.

She added that broader concerns within Latvia’s defense sector also contributed to her decision to remove Sprūds from office.

The prime minister noted that Latvia now spends around 5 percent of its gross domestic product on defense, among the highest levels in Europe, which she said required “a much higher level of responsibility toward society… that requires clear results.”

NEW GOVERNMENT TALKS

President Edgars Rinkēvičs said consultations would begin Friday on the “quickest possible formation” of a new government.

Siliņa had led a three-party coalition government since becoming prime minister in September 2023.

Latvia is a member of both the European Union and the NATO military alliance and borders Russia and Belarus, making it strategically important on NATO’s eastern flank.

Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Latvia — along with fellow Baltic NATO members Lithuania and Estonia — has accelerated military spending and defense preparations amid fears of possible Russian aggression.

REGIONAL TENSIONS

Latvia has also reintroduced compulsory military service and strengthened cooperation with NATO allies stationed in the region.

The outgoing government remained one of Ukraine’s strongest supporters within the European Union and NATO alliance.

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