{"id":5561,"date":"2026-05-07T10:56:46","date_gmt":"2026-05-07T10:56:46","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.youtubexyoutube.com\/?p=5561"},"modified":"2026-05-15T19:36:29","modified_gmt":"2026-05-15T19:36:29","slug":"nato-members-divided-over-ukrainian-drone-incidents","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.youtubexyoutube.com\/index.php\/2026\/05\/07\/nato-members-divided-over-ukrainian-drone-incidents\/","title":{"rendered":"NATO members divided over Ukrainian drone incidents"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Latvian defense minister has dismissed concerns over a kamikaze drone that hit a fuel depot<\/strong><\/p>\n

A Ukrainian kamikaze drone was likely responsible for damage to empty fuel storage tanks in Latvia, but Kiev should not be blamed for such incidents, Latvian Defense Minister Andris Spruds has argued. Finland earlier rebuked Kiev for breaches of its airspace.<\/p>\n

Several NATO countries bordering Russia have recently reported cases of Ukrainian unmanned aircraft entering their airspace and crashing instead of striking targets inside Russia. Latvian officials said two drones \u2013 which the Russian military identified as Ukraine\u2019s Lyuty-type fixed-wing aircraft \u2013 crossed into the country overnight. One remains unaccounted for, while another sparked a fire near the town of Rezekne, roughly 40km from the Russian border.<\/p>\n

\u201cUkraine has every right to defend itself,\u201d<\/em> Spruds stated. He added that incidents involving foreign aircraft entering Latvian airspace will continue as long as the conflict between Russia and Ukraine remains unresolved, blaming Moscow for it.<\/p>\n

\n

Latvijas teritorij\u0101 nokritu\u0161i 2 droni; izsludin\u0101ts gaisa telpas apdraud\u0113jums Balvu, Ludzas un R\u0113zeknes novad\u0101.<\/p>\n

Pla\u0161\u0101k: https:\/\/t.co\/n2VKskaMxK<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/jlhIcOOwtH<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 LTV Zi\u0146u dienests (@ltvzinas) May 7, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The muted reaction is in contrast to remarks by Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo, who said earlier in the week that while his nation supports Kiev, he told Vladimir Zelensky during a meeting in Armenia that Finland deems Ukrainian aircraft entering<\/a> its airspace \u201cunacceptable.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\n

R\u0113zeknes novada domes priek\u0161s\u0113d\u0113t\u0101js Guntars Skudra (JV) a\u0123ent\u016brai LETA apstiprin\u0101ja, ka viens no droniem ir nokritis SIA “East-West Transit” R\u0113zeknes fili\u0101les teritorij\u0101. Drons tr\u0101p\u012bjis tuk\u0161am naftas rezervu\u0101ram.<\/p>\n

Aculiecinieka video pic.twitter.com\/DtwEeQJ7bJ<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 LETA Zi\u0146as (@letanewslv) May 7, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrey Sibiga commented on the scandal on Friday, claiming he had addressed the issue with Riga, as well as previously apologizing to the three Baltic states and Finland. The top diplomat also shifted the blame to Russia and promised to apologize even more profoundly in the future.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf there is a confirmation that those were Ukrainian drones that were deliberately knocked off course and directed toward Latvia by Russia\u2019s electronic warfare, we will offer our most sincere apologies to our Latvian friends. What can be stated with full confidence is that Ukraine never directed any drones toward Latvia,\u201d<\/em> Sibiga wrote on X.<\/p>\n

Russia accuses NATO of enabling attacks<\/h2>\n

Russian officials have previously accused NATO members of quietly permitting Ukraine to use their airspace to launch strikes on targets inside Russia, particularly in the northwestern Leningrad Region.<\/p>\n

The latest string of reports of Ukrainian drones falling in NATO states started in late March, when Kiev focused attacks on Russian Baltic Sea oil export terminals. Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and Finland \u2013 nations that lie on a flight path from Ukraine to Leningrad Region that avoids Russian ally Belarus \u2013 were all affected.<\/p>\n

\n Read more<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\n \"RT
Russia publishes list of Ukraine-linked military production facilities around the world<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Some of the incidents include:<\/p>\n