In the Rugaine parish of the Balvi region, the operation to safely neutralize the unmanned aerial vehicle, which was shot down earlier on Latvian territory, has been completed. This was reported by the National Armed Forces. Throughout Saturday, specialists from the unexploded ordnance disposal unit conducted controlled detonation works. These were the sounds of explosions that the military had previously warned residents of nearby settlements about. All work was carried out in compliance with safety requirements. After its completion, no additional precautions are required for local residents. The drone was destroyed on Friday morning by NATO mission fighters patrolling the airspace of the Baltic states after it violated Latvia's airspace. The device fell in a wooded area near Lake Boževa, about five kilometers from the center of Rugaine. According to local authorities, no one was injured as a result of the incident, and property damage was also avoided. Preliminary data suggests that the drone entered Latvian airspace due to the effects of Russian electronic warfare systems. The military had previously explained that the device was shot down at a high altitude, so its fragments could scatter over a significant area. This is why the area inspection and subsequent neutralization took additional time. The inspection of the crash site involved soldiers from the National Armed Forces, Zemessargi, and State Police officers. After the operation was completed, the military confirmed that all planned work had been carried out and the stage of neutralizing the drone was finished.
