Latvia extends partial airspace closure near Belarus and Russia
Latvia extends partial airspace closure near border (Illustrative photo: Getty Images)
The Latvian government has decided to extend the partial closure of airspace near the border with Belarus and Russia, according to the country's Ministry of Defense.
However, the ministry did not specify how long the closure would remain in effect, noting only that it would apply at night — from 20:00 to 07:00.
The Ministry of Defense explained that the decision was made due to incidents of airspace violations in other NATO countries.
Latvia initially closed the airspace in this border area from September 11 to 18, and later extended the restrictions until October 8, only during nighttime hours when the risk of drone activity is highest.
Latvia–Russia relations
Latvia's Ministry of Internal Affairs planned to introduce amendments to the national security law. The changes would ban citizens of Russia and Belarus from holding positions in the management of critical infrastructure.
Latvia's Armed Forces also supported the idea of restoring wetlands along the border with Russia, which would serve as a natural barrier.
Recently, unidentified drones have been detected in the airspace of several European countries, while Russian aircraft have been violating borders.
