RIGA, May 19 (LETA) - The possible airspace threat in the Ludza and Balvi municipalities, announced on Tuesday evening, has ended, the National Armed Forces (NBS) informed LETA.

Due to the situation, fighter jets of the NATO Baltic airspace policing mission were activated. The were checking whether the object detected by radars had flown into Latvian airspace, the NBS told LETA.

Maris Tutins, chief of the Information Analysis and Management Department at the NBS, told Latvian Television that the sensors had detected a possible threat to Latvian airspace, so warning messages were sent out. Currently, there is no information that a drone has entered Latvian airspace.

The Armed Forces stress that together with NATO allies they are constantly monitoring the airspace to be able to react immediately to a potential threat if necessary. At the same time, air defense capabilities have been reinforced near the eastern border, with additional units deployed.

The NBS notes that, as the Russian war in Ukraine continues, there is a risk that foreign unmanned aerial vehicles will continue to approach or enter Latvian airspace.

LETA has already reported that a possible airspace threat was declared in several Latvian regions on Tuesday. The alert was in force in the regions of Kraslava, Ludza, Rezekne, Preili, Madona, Cesis, Gulbene, Smiltene and Valmiera, as well as in Rezekne.

Shortly before 14.00, the threat was lifted in most areas, but after 14.00 the NBS announced that the threat in Latvian airspace had been completely lifted.

The National Armed Forces cannot yet confirm that any of the drones detected on Tuesday were in Latvian airspace.

At a press conference on Tuesday evening, NBS representatives said that in the past there had been situations when a combination of circumstances had affected the operation of sensors and had led to possible threat signals. At the same time, the Armed Forces admit that another object could have been over Latvian territory.

Meanwhile, a NATO Baltic airspace policing mission fighter jet shot down a drone over Estonia on Tuesday, Estonian Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur said.

The operation was conducted by the Latvian Control and Reporting Centre, the Estonian Armed Forces said.