RIGA, May 10 - Latvia's defence minister Andris Spruds resigned on Sunday after two drones breached the border on Thursday, flying in from Russia and striking oil storage facilities, government officials said.
Earlier on Sunday, Prime Minister Evika Silina publicly called for Spruds to step down, asserting that anti-drone systems had not been deployed quickly enough to prevent the incident. In the wake of the resignation, Silina appointed Latvian army colonel Raivis Melnis as the country's new defence minister.
On the same day, Latvia and neighbouring Lithuania urged NATO to bolster air-defence capabilities in their region. The call for increased protection came after two drones crossed the Russian border and exploded at an oil storage facility in Latvia on Thursday.
Ukraine's defence minister Andrii Sybiha posted on X on Sunday that the drones were Ukrainian. He said they entered Latvian territory after "Russian electronic warfare deliberately diverting Ukrainian drones from their targets in Russia." Sybiha also said that, following the incidents, Ukraine is considering sending experts to assist in strengthening air security over the Baltic states, a step he noted on Friday.
Context and immediate outcomes
The chain of events began with two drones flying from the direction of Russia on Thursday and detonating at Latvian oil storage facilities. The diplomatic and defence responses unfolded over the following days, culminating in the defence minister's resignation on Sunday and the appointment of a new minister. Latvia and Lithuania have both appealed to NATO for enhanced air-defence measures. Ukraine's defence ministry has attributed the diversion of the drones to Russian electronic warfare and has indicated a willingness to provide expertise to improve Baltic air security.
What remains limited or unconfirmed
The publicly stated sequence of events and the attributions made by officials are those reported by the relevant national authorities. Specific operational details about the failures in air-defence deployment, the extent of damage at the oil storage facilities, and any subsequent technical assessments have not been detailed in the statements cited.