Latvian Prime Minister Resigns Following Drone Defense Crisis
Latvian Prime Minister Evika Silina announced her resignation on May 14, triggering the collapse of the country’s governing coalition months ahead of parliamentary elections scheduled for October.
The political crisis intensified after the withdrawal of support from the Progressives party, which left Silina’s administration without a majority in parliament. The dispute centered on the government’s response to several drone incidents involving aircraft believed to have crossed into Latvia from Russian territory.
The controversy escalated after Silina dismissed Defense Minister Andris Spruds, a member of the Progressives party. According to Latvian officials, the incidents exposed shortcomings in the country’s counter-drone and air surveillance capabilities.
On May 7, two drones reportedly entered Latvian airspace and exploded near an oil storage facility in eastern Latvia. Authorities stated that the drones were likely Ukrainian systems intended for operations inside Russia but diverted by electronic warfare interference.
Latvian military officials acknowledged that the drones were not detected while crossing the border. Silina subsequently stated that the defense ministry had failed to accelerate the deployment of anti-drone systems quickly enough.
The dismissal of Spruds prompted the Progressives party to withdraw support from the coalition government, forcing Silina to resign before a potential parliamentary no-confidence vote.
President Edgars Rinkevics is expected to begin consultations with parliamentary parties to determine the framework for a replacement government. The current cabinet will remain in a caretaker role until a new administration is formed.
The incident has renewed debate across the Baltic region over NATO air defense readiness and the growing threat posed by drones operating near alliance borders. Latvia, alongside Estonia and Lithuania, has increased defense spending and accelerated procurement efforts aimed at strengthening air defense and counter-UAS capabilities since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Ukrainian officials indicated that Russian electronic warfare may have redirected the drones and offered technical assistance to Baltic states to improve regional airspace security.
