Latvia is facing a major political crisis following the resignation of Prime Minister Evika Siliņa, whose government collapsed after a series of incidents involving Ukrainian drones crashing on Latvian territory. The events, which occurred amid growing regional tensions linked to the war in Ukraine, triggered the breakdown of the ruling coalition just months before the parliamentary elections scheduled for October 2026.
The crisis began after several suspected Ukrainian drones entered Latvian airspace near the Russian border. According to Latvian authorities, some drones intended for operations against Russia were likely diverted from their original routes due to Russian electronic interference before eventually crashing inside Latvia. One of the drones reportedly exploded near an oil storage facility close to the city of Rēzekne, causing material damage but no casualties.
The incidents exposed weaknesses in Latvia’s air defense system and sparked intense political debate within the Baltic nation, a member of both NATO and the European Union. The government faced strong criticism for what opponents described as a slow and inadequate response to the security threat. Emergency alerts to the population were allegedly sent several hours after the drones had already entered national airspace, fueling accusations of poor crisis management.
Under mounting pressure, Prime Minister Evika Siliņa demanded the resignation of Defense Minister Andris Sprūds, arguing that he had failed to strengthen the country’s anti-drone capabilities quickly enough. However, the decision led to the collapse of the governing coalition after the Progressives party, to which Sprūds belonged, withdrew its support from the government. Left without a parliamentary majority, Siliņa ultimately announced her resignation.
The crisis now goes beyond domestic politics and has reignited concerns about the security of the Baltic states amid the broader consequences of the Russia-Ukraine war. Since the beginning of the conflict, several Russian and Ukrainian drones have crashed or crossed into the territories of Latvia, Estonia, and Lithuania, increasing fears among countries bordering Russia.
Latvian officials have called on NATO to reinforce the protection of Baltic airspace and accelerate the deployment of anti-drone defense systems across the region. Ukraine has also proposed closer cooperation with Riga to improve aerial surveillance and defense coordination.
Latvian President Edgars Rinkēvičs is now expected to hold consultations with parliamentary parties in an effort to form a new government. The political instability comes at a particularly sensitive moment for Latvia, which has significantly increased its military spending in recent years due to rising tensions with Russia.
