World War 3 fears have exploded once again after NATO state Latvia was hit by a major alert early today as drones flew into its airspace. NATO warplanes were scrambled as the unidentified unmanned planes flew around 40 miles into the country.
One drone crashed at an oil depot in Rēzekne, a city in eastern Latvia, but did not cause a fire. The authorities were urgently seeking to investigate whether the drone flights were a hostile act by Russia – or Ukrainian UAVs which flew off course after electronic warfare interference while attacking targets in Vladimir Putin’s territory. Latvian airspace threat alerts and mobile phone alerts were issued to residents Ludza and Balvi districts of Latgale region at 4.09am and 4.43am. Residents were urged to remain indoors. Schools in Rēzekne and the Rēzekne and Ludza districts were cancelled, while students in Balvi switched to distance learning.
Defence Minister Andris Sprūds confirmed he was driving to Rēzekne to handle the emergency. “The situation there is genuinely complex and the threat continues,” he said.
He stressed NATO fighters had been scrambled as part of the Baltic Air Policing mission. Russia’s aggression in Ukraine continues to have wider regional consequences and Baltic Air Policing functions need to be expanded, he said.
In recent weeks, stray Ukrainian drones have overflown the Baltic states. The incident comes amid recent concerns that Russia is seeking to stage provocations in the Baltic states Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia to test NATO’s resolve.
In recent weeks, Russia has falsely alleged the Baltic states are permitting Ukraine to fly its drones over their airspace to attack oil ports near Putin’s second city St Petersburg. The states – plus Finland – deny any such permission to Ukraine.
This week saw a warning that Russia is actively preparing for an invasion of the Baltic states in a major military challenge to the West. Such a thrust by Vladimir Putin would test NATO’s resolve to defend three small member states – Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania – amid the possible start of a nuclear World War Three.
The warning of an invasion plan came from specialist Russian-language war channel Volya, which includes experts from Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, and the Baltics.
“Since mid March, we have begun receiving confirmations from sources in the Russian Ministry of Defence and other structures that Vladimir Putin’s plans to invade the Baltic states have moved to the next stage,” said the independent outlet.
The aim “is not to start a war with NATO, but to trigger a major crisis within the alliance by invading Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania and, ideally, bring about its effective fragmentation. “The Russian political leadership believes that European countries will be reluctant to fight a nuclear power, especially without direct support from the United States.
“Vladimir Putin and his circle believe that major European countries would not risk going to war with Russia over the Baltic states”.
