Shahed drone crashed in Latvia was packed with explosives - Defense Ministry
Illustrative photo: Shahed that fell in Latvia was carrying explosives (Getty Images)
The drone that crashed in Latvia on September 8 was most likely a Shahed, and it was packed with explosives, according to Rus TvNet.
According to the Commander of the Latvian National Armed Forces, Leonīds Kalniņš, the drone was "deactivated" and is currently undergoing a "thorough analysis." He also stated that the appearance of the drone in Latvia should not be seen as an open military escalation against the country; Latvia was not the drone's intended target.
Latvian Defense Minister Andris Spruds said that Latvia will strengthen its air defense on the eastern border in response to the Russian drone.
Background
Yesterday, Latvian President Edgars Rinkēvičs reported that a Russian military drone had crashed in the eastern part of his country. An investigation into the drone crash has been launched.
"We are in close contact with our allies," the president wrote.
It is also worth noting that, according to the Air Force, on the night of September 7-8, a Russian drone entered Romanian airspace from the Odesa region. At that time, residents of Romanian counties bordering Ukraine received notifications about the threat of falling objects.
To recall, on the night of September 7, Russia attacked Ukraine with dozens of kamikaze drones. In total, Russia launched 67 drones at Ukraine, with 58 Shaheds being shot down by air defense.
