Latvia deploys mobile drone interceptor teams to Russia border after Baltic incursions
Latvia deploys mobile drone interceptor teams along its Russia and Belarus borders this month, after at least 24 drone incursions hit Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia since early 2025. Each team: up to 4 soldiers in a 4x4, interceptor drones from Origin Robotics and Eraser, 10-km ki
NATO's eastern flank just got a new counter-drone layer. Latvia is deploying mobile interceptor teams along its borders with Russia and Belarus this month, after at least 24 drone incursions hit the Baltic states since early 2025. According to Defense News and Shephard Media, each team will consist of up to four soldiers in a rugged 4x4 vehicle armed with interceptor drones from Latvian manufacturers Origin Robotics and Eraser, capable of destroying incoming drones within a 10-kilometer radius. The number of teams is classified. The units are expected to be operational by early June. The trigger came on May 7, when two unmanned aerial vehicles crashed in Latvian territory, including one that struck an empty fuel depot. Most of the drones that have entered Baltic airspace in recent months were Ukrainian, knocked off course toward NATO territory by Russian electronic spoofing. The Latvian government collapsed in the aftermath. Estonia activated its first border sensors to detect drones last week. From June 4 to June 19, the BALTOPS-2026 NATO exercise will run across the Baltic Sea with 15 countries, including France and Poland, led by the United States. Moscow has signaled it will incorporate the rising number of UAV flights from the Baltic states into its own military planning, according to Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova. Sources: Defense News, Shephard Media, Pravda NATO, Euromaidan Press.