Latvian airspace in the eastern border area will be closed from September 11 at 18:00 until September 18, with the possibility of extension, Defense Minister Andris Sprūds (Progressives) announced at a press conference on the situation in Latvian airspace.
He noted that Wednesday’s events in Poland constituted a blatant violation of NATO airspace and that Latvia must act accordingly.
The minister stressed that there is no direct threat to Latvia at the moment, but preventive measures are necessary. He emphasized that the protection of airspace and citizens is taken very seriously and that the relevant services are acting accordingly. For example, in the past, units of the National Armed Forces (NAF) were deployed along the eastern border with orders to shoot down aggressor aircraft if necessary.
There is also a reinforced NATO air policing mission on standby for any situation. Latvia has introduced new systems, including an acoustic detection system and weapons capable of shooting down drones. Additional anti-drone capabilities are planned for next year. Overall, air defense remains a priority for the government and the armed forces, the minister underlined.
Sprūds argued that Russia is testing the resilience of NATO and Europe, including Latvia, and that the effects of Russian aggression on regional security are now clearly visible.
The need to completely close the eastern land border is also being assessed, but such a decision would have to be made jointly with Estonia and Lithuania, the minister added.
Chief of Defense Kaspars Pūdiņš explained that only aircraft flying below six kilometers altitude would be affected by the restrictions, while other aircraft would be able to cross the area without limitations.
Air traffic control company Latvijas Gaisa Satiksme (LGS) told LETA that in order to close the airspace, the NAF will issue a NOTAM (Notice to Air Missions) establishing a restricted area where flights are prohibited. All airspace users and service providers will receive such a notice, and airlines will take it into account when planning their routes.
According to publicly available information, the restricted zone will extend up to FL200 (Flight Level 200, or about 20,000 feet / 6,000 meters), which will not affect transit flights, as they typically operate above FL300 (about 9,100 meters), LGS noted.
Following the breach of Polish airspace by Russian drones, Sprūds instructed the NAF to assess the closure of Latvian airspace in the eastern border area.
On Wednesday, the National Security Council agreed that the Cabinet of Ministers, together with the responsible services, will assess restrictions on crossing Latvia’s eastern land border.
As reported, several Russian attack drones entered Polish airspace overnight on Wednesday, some of which posed an immediate threat and were shot down.
Later, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said that the country’s airspace had been violated 19 times and that at least three drones had been destroyed.
Source: BNS
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