There are grounds for reviewing Latvia’s threat level system in order to adapt it to the new reality in which stray military drones regularly approach the country’s borders or enter its airspace, Crisis Management Centre (KVC) head Arvis Zīle said in an interview with TV3 on Wednesday.
Zīle acknowledged that Tuesday’s frequent warnings about a possible airspace threat had a major impact on public life and the economy, making it understandable why outgoing Prime Minister Evika Siliņa had instructed authorities to review response algorithms.
The head of the KVC explained that threat level categories would be reassessed in order to adapt response measures to the new reality and possibly avoid completely halting public life — including schools, transport, and other activities — while more precisely identifying the highest-risk objects.
Zīle refrained from speculating in detail about possible changes to the response procedures, noting that experts and sector representatives still needed to work on the issue. The first meeting on the matter was scheduled for the same day in an effort to reach conclusions as quickly as possible.
At the same time,
he stressed that maximum caution must be exercised regarding drone threats,
as drones can carry large quantities of explosives and potential explosions could be highly destructive.
Speaking to Latvian Radio, Zīle added that in none of the previous threat incidents had residents needed to seek shelter, meaning they had not been instructed to go to shelters designated for wartime situations, which currently remain closed.
As previously reported, Siliņa instructed the responsible institutions to provide a report on Tuesday’s cell broadcast warnings and propose improvements to response procedures for both residents and emergency services, emphasizing that a better way must be found to ensure public safety during crises.
The outgoing Prime Minister stressed that the warnings issued by the Latvian National Armed Forces (NBS) on Tuesday regarding a possible threat covered large areas of Latgale and Vidzeme, affecting the daily lives of many residents, schools, and businesses.
“We must find a better way to ensure people’s safety during crisis situations
while preserving the continuity of everyday life as much as possible,” Siliņa stated. She therefore assigned the relevant task to the NBS and the KVC.
On Tuesday, the NBS reported a possible threat to Latvian airspace due to what it described as “reasonable assumptions” of a potential airspace threat, initially in the municipalities of Krāslava and Ludza, and later also in Rēzekne, Preiļi, Madona, Cēsis, Gulbene, Smiltene, and Valmiera. This marked the largest number of municipalities whose residents had ever been warned about a possible airspace threat.
At the same time, the NBS did not fully confirm that a drone had actually entered Latvia, as it had not been visually identified.
Māris Tūtins also acknowledged on Latvian Television Wednesday morning that there was no confirmation that a drone had entered Latvian airspace on Tuesday.
According to him,
sensors may have been affected by weather conditions and other factors,
though he could not provide a more precise explanation because the analysis of the incident was still ongoing, and he declined to predict when it would be completed.
At the same time, Tūtins urged the public to continue taking such warnings seriously, as threat risks do exist whenever alerts are issued.
Residents of Latgale have received similar cell broadcast alerts several times in recent months, most likely connected to drones involved in the Russia–Ukraine war approaching or entering Latvian airspace. On several occasions, such drones have also exploded on Latvian territory, including an incident on the 7th of May at a little-used oil depot in Rēzekne.
No people have been injured in these incidents so far, but the latest case in Rēzekne first led to the resignation of the defense minister and later to the collapse of Siliņa’s government. Talks are currently underway on forming a new government. Until it is approved, the Cabinet led by Siliņa continues its work.
The post Latvia to seek new approach to drone threats after widespread alerts appeared first on Baltic News Network.
