14.08.2026 14:00
NATO Spokesperson Allison Hart announced that an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) violating Latvian airspace was shot down in a joint operation by Turkish and Italian air elements. Following the incident, Hart issued a statement, emphasizing that the Alliance is prepared against any kind of threat.
An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that entered Latvian airspace was shot down by Turkish and Italian air assets.
Hart made a statement on the social media platform of the US-based company X after the UAV that entered Latvian airspace was shot down by NATO fighter jets.
The spokesperson said, "Italian Eurofighters based in Lithuania and Turkish F-16s from Estonia took off due to a UAV over Latvian airspace."
Hart noted that a day earlier, F-16 fighter jets belonging to Romania and Spain had been activated following UAVs that entered Romanian airspace near the Ukrainian border, emphasizing that NATO is closely monitoring developments.
NATO READY 24/7 AGAINST THREATS
Hart stated, "NATO is ready 24 hours a day, 7 days a week against potential threats. We will continue to protect our territories and ensure the security of our people."
Latvia had also reported that a UAV that entered its airspace was shot down by NATO fighter jets and the threat had ended, but did not share information about where the UAV had taken off from.
The North Atlantic Council, which brings together permanent representatives of 32 allied countries, convened the day before to address airspace violations in Poland and Romania and recent UAV incidents, condemning such events and stating determination in defending allied territory.
RUSSIA'S AIRSPACE VIOLATIONS IN POLAND AND ROMANIA
Three unmanned aerial vehicles, stated to belong to Russia, that violated Romanian airspace were neutralized by F-16 fighter jets on July 24-26.
On the morning of July 30, during a Russian missile attack on Ukraine, a Kh-101 type missile violated Polish airspace and fell near Lublin.