Archive · 14 Aug 2026
NATO jets down drone over Latvia, Finland restricts Baltic
Every country wants to keep its sky safe.
A drone is a flying machine that has no pilot inside.
On Friday, a drone flew into the airspace of Latvia, a country in Europe.
Latvia is a member of NATO, a group of countries that protect one another.
Fighter jets on a NATO mission shot the drone down.
Nearby, Finland closed parts of the sea and sky near Russia just to be safe from possible drones.
Russia said it shot down 15 drones near St Petersburg overnight.
Some countries that are Russia's neighbours are now guarding dams, power plants, and gas pipes more carefully.
Fighter jets on a NATO air defence mission shot down a drone that entered Latvia's airspace early Friday, Latvia's armed forces said.
Latvia's armed forces did not immediately provide details about the drone or its origin.
Finland temporarily restricted aviation and maritime traffic in the eastern Gulf of Finland as a precaution against possible drones and lifted an air threat alert near Russia.
Russia said it shot down 15 drones in the Leningrad region, close to Finland and Estonia and home to St Petersburg.
Russia's northern NATO neighbours are tightening security around dams, power plants and natural gas infrastructure over concern about possible 'false flag' attacks using Ukrainian drones.
- Who
- Latvia's armed forces, fighter jets on a NATO air defence mission, Finland's defence forces, and Russia's Leningrad region governor Alexander Drozdenko
- What
- A drone that entered Latvia's airspace was shot down, and Finland restricted aviation and maritime traffic in the eastern Gulf of Finland as a precaution.
- When
- Early on Friday, reported August 14
- Where
- Latvia's airspace; the eastern Gulf of Finland; the Leningrad region of Russia
- Why
- As a precaution against possible drones amid the continuing exchange of attacks between Russia and Ukraine, and concern over potential 'false flag' attacks.
- Event
- Drone shot down in Latvia's airspace by NATO air defence jets
- Date
- Early Friday, August 14
- Location
- Latvia's airspace
- Finland measure
- Temporary restrictions on aviation and maritime traffic in the eastern Gulf of Finland
- Russian response
- 15 drones shot down in the Leningrad region
- Alliance membership
- Latvia and Finland are NATO and European Union members
- Security measures
- Tightening security around dams, power plants and natural gas infrastructure
- Context
- Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022