NATO combat jets shot down a drone after it entered Latvian airspace, the country's military said on Monday.
The drone was a foreign aircraft that ended up in Latvian airspace as a result of “Russian electromagnetic warfare," the military said.
No further details regarding the origin or type of aircraft were initially available.
French Rafale jets brought the aircraft down, a statement from Latvia's armed forces and the French air force said.
It was shot down at 10:05 am (0705 GMT) over the municipality of Berzgale in the east of the country, Brigadier General Kaspars Zdanovskis said at a press conference with Defence Minister Raivis Melnis.
Melnis did not confirm that the drone was shot down by a French fighter jet, as had been widely reported.
The exact crash site was still unclear. There were initially no reports of injuries or damage, he said. The search for debris was under way, he said.
Residents told Latvian radio that fighter jets had flown over the area several times and that they had later heard a loud explosion.
Residents in several eastern regions had previously been warned of a potential airspace threat. In two regions, residents had been asked to seek shelter.
The air raid alarm was lifted again after the drone had been shot down.
NATO and EU member Latvia, which borders both Russia and Belarus, has seen a rising number of drone incidents in recent months.
On several occasions, stray drones used by Ukraine to strike targets in north-western Russia have ended up in the Baltic state’s airspace and crashed.
So far, no significant damage or loss of life has been caused. However, the incidents triggered a political crisis in Latvia and led to a change of government.
'Swift decision-making'
Latvia's Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs thanked the Latvian army and NATO allies for their deployment.
Thanks to "swift decision-making and professional action," it had been possible for the first time to shoot down a drone that had flown into Latvia, he wrote on X.
On May 19, NATO fighter jets brought down a drone over neighbouring Estonia.
Following a meeting with his Estonian counterpart Kristen Michal in Tallinn, Kulbergs said that NATO airspace surveillance was working.
However, both prime ministers also acknowledged that the use of fighter jets to combat drones was costly and unsustainable. Latvia therefore intends to rely on the assistance of Ukrainian experts for drone defence, who, according to Kulbergs, are due to arrive in Riga in the coming weeks.
Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania do not have their own fighter jets. NATO has therefore been securing Baltic airspace since 2004. Allies regularly rotate fighter aircraft and personnel to the Baltic states in north-eastern Europe.
The French Rafale jets are stationed at a military airfield in Siauliai in Lithuania.
In the wake of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, there have been several incidents involving drones in Latvia. Ukrainian unmanned aircraft used by Kiev to strike targets in north-western Russia have on several occasions entered the Baltic state's airspace and crashed.
The incidents have not caused major damage or injuries, but they triggered a political crisis resulting in a change of government. The new Cabinet under Kulbergs has been in office for just a few days, with the trip to Estonia marking the premier's first visit abroad.
