{"id":1935215,"date":"2026-05-14T16:05:36","date_gmt":"2026-05-14T13:05:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1935215"},"modified":"2026-05-14T16:05:36","modified_gmt":"2026-05-14T13:05:36","slug":"ex-defence-minister-admits-latvia-faces-security-questions-but-no-silver-bullet-to-stop-drones","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1935215","title":{"rendered":"Ex-defence minister admits Latvia faces security &#8216;questions&#8217; but no silver bullet to stop drones"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/75\/88\/54\/1200x675_cmsv2_00da00a5-9567-5517-8fe9-dfe0838aae1c-9758854.jpg&#8221;]<\/p>\n<article id=\"abe-2893761-pos1-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1 the-media-object--has-video\" data-nid=\"2893761\" data-cid=\"9758916\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2893761-label-pos1-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/75\/89\/16\/189x106_cmsv2_97c8c70c-6ee3-5853-bd62-40eb20d17cb5-9758916.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Latest news bulletin | May 14th, 2026 \u2013 Evening\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Top News Stories Today<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Latest news bulletin | May 14th, 2026 \u2013 Evening\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2893730-pos2-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1\" data-nid=\"2893730\" data-cid=\"9758829\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2893730-label-pos2-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/75\/88\/00\/189x106_cmsv2_e972fc11-b9b6-5248-9d6c-f37036ffc453-9758800.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Warsaw Mayor Rafal Trzaskowski has announced that City Hall has made the first transcription of same-sex marriage.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Europe News<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Poland makes history with first same-sex marriage registration\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2893726-pos3-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1 the-media-object--has-video\" data-nid=\"2893726\" data-cid=\"9758772\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2893726-label-pos3-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/75\/87\/72\/189x106_cmsv2_936e00d0-f8ab-5e48-92be-8fec667f1024-9758772.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Former ECB President Mario Draghi, center, smiles after being awarded with the Charlemagne Prize in Aachen\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    No Comment<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    &#8220;Super Mario&#8221; celebrated for defending the euro and European unity\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2893685-pos4-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1 the-media-object--has-video\" data-nid=\"2893685\" data-cid=\"9758451\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2893685-label-pos4-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/75\/84\/51\/189x106_cmsv2_09454225-7895-59f7-84e4-97091dd6df67-9758451.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"David Park, a hotel worker at Lotte Hotel Seoul, strapped with body cameras folding banquet napkin, cleaning glasses and setting a table.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Tech News<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    How South Korea is turning workplace skills into robot training data\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2893761-pos1-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--has-video\" data-nid=\"2893761\" data-cid=\"9758916\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2893761-label-pos1-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/75\/89\/16\/189x106_cmsv2_97c8c70c-6ee3-5853-bd62-40eb20d17cb5-9758916.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Latest news bulletin | May 14th, 2026 \u2013 Evening\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Top News Stories Today<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Latest news bulletin | May 14th, 2026 \u2013 Evening\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2893730-pos2-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2\" data-nid=\"2893730\" data-cid=\"9758829\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2893730-label-pos2-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/75\/88\/00\/189x106_cmsv2_e972fc11-b9b6-5248-9d6c-f37036ffc453-9758800.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Warsaw Mayor Rafal Trzaskowski has announced that City Hall has made the first transcription of same-sex marriage.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Europe News<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Poland makes history with first same-sex marriage registration\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2893726-pos3-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--has-video\" data-nid=\"2893726\" data-cid=\"9758772\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2893726-label-pos3-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/75\/87\/72\/189x106_cmsv2_936e00d0-f8ab-5e48-92be-8fec667f1024-9758772.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Former ECB President Mario Draghi, center, smiles after being awarded with the Charlemagne Prize in Aachen\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    No Comment<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    &#8220;Super Mario&#8221; celebrated for defending the euro and European unity\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2893685-pos4-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--has-video\" data-nid=\"2893685\" data-cid=\"9758451\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2893685-label-pos4-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/75\/84\/51\/189x106_cmsv2_09454225-7895-59f7-84e4-97091dd6df67-9758451.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"David Park, a hotel worker at Lotte Hotel Seoul, strapped with body cameras folding banquet napkin, cleaning glasses and setting a table.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Tech News<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    How South Korea is turning workplace skills into robot training data\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article class=\"helper-site-row o-article-newsy\">\n<div class=\"helper-site-container o-article-newsy__container\">\n<div class=\"o-article-newsy__main\">\n<header class=\"h-grid o-article-newsy__main__header\">\n<nav aria-label=\"Breadcrumbs\" class=\"c-article-breadcrumbs\">\n<div id=\"adb-article-breadcrumb\" class=\"c-article-breadcrumbs__list\">\n<p>                          Europe<\/p>\n<p>                          Europe News<\/p><\/div>\n<\/nav>\n<h1 class=\"c-article-redesign-title\">\n                            Ex-defence minister admits Latvia faces security &#8216;questions&#8217; but no silver bullet to stop drones<\/h1>\n<div class=\"c-article-image-video u-position-relative \">\n<div class=\"js-superdiv u-aspect-ratio-16x9 u-position-relative \" data-sponsored=\"Partner content\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"js-poster-img c-article-media__img\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/75\/88\/54\/1536x864_cmsv2_00da00a5-9567-5517-8fe9-dfe0838aae1c-9758854.jpg\" width=\"1536\" height=\"864\" loading=\"eager\" alt=\"Andris Spr\u016bds, former Latvia's Minister of Defence\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-caption u-position-absolute\"><i id=\"article-caption-content\" class=\"c-article-caption__content\"><span class=\"c-article-caption__text\"><br \/>\n              Andris Spr\u016bds, former Latvia&#8217;s Minister of Defence<br \/>\n                    <span class=\"u-color-white\">&#8211;\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"c-article-caption__copyright\">Copyright\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"c-article-caption__credit\">Euronews<\/span><\/span><\/i><\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-image-copyright c-article-image-copyright--novideo\">\n      Copyright\u00a0Euronews\n  <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"h-grid o-article-newsy__main__body u-article-content\">\n<div class=\"o-article-newsy__contributors-publication-date\">\n<div class=\"c-article-contributors\">\n  By&amp;nbspAngela Skujins\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-publication-date\" data-timestamp=\"1778774736\">\n         Published on<br \/>\n            <time datetime=\"2026-05-14 18:05:36 +02:00\">14\/05\/2026 &#8211; 18:05 GMT+2<\/time><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-partage-commentaire u-align-items-center u-display-flex\"><span class=\"c-article-partage-commentaire__links u-align-items-center u-display-flex u-justify-content-center js-c-article-partage-commentaire-share\"><span>Share<\/span><\/span><span>Comments<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-partage-commentaire-popup-overlay js-c-article-partage-commentaire-popup-overlay u-display-none\">\n<div 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alt=\"vk\" loading=\"lazy\"><span>VK<\/span><\/span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-vk.svg\" width=\"48\" height=\"48\" alt=\"vk\" class=\"u-show-for-desktop\" loading=\"lazy\"><span class=\"u-display-flex u-gap-1 u-show-for-mobile-only\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-bluesky.svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" alt=\"bluesky\" loading=\"lazy\"><span>Bluesky<\/span><\/span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-bluesky.svg\" width=\"48\" height=\"48\" alt=\"bluesky\" class=\"u-show-for-desktop\" loading=\"lazy\"><span class=\"u-display-flex u-gap-1 u-show-for-mobile-only\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-threads.svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" alt=\"threads\" loading=\"lazy\"><span>Threads<\/span><\/span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-threads.svg\" width=\"48\" height=\"48\" alt=\"threads\" class=\"u-show-for-desktop\" loading=\"lazy\"><span class=\"u-display-flex u-gap-1 u-show-for-mobile-only\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-whatsapp.svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" alt=\"whatsapp\" loading=\"lazy\"><span>Whatsapp<\/span><\/span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-whatsapp.svg\" width=\"48\" height=\"48\" alt=\"whatsapp\" class=\"u-show-for-desktop\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2 class=\"c-article-summary\">\n        Latvia faces political turmoil after its prime minister resigned and the defence minister stood down, raising concerns about the country\u2019s readiness to counter potential Russian aggression on Europe\u2019s frontline.<br \/>\n    <\/h2>\n<div class=\"c-article-content js-article-content\">\n<p>Latvia\u2019s former defence minister Andris Spr\u016bds told Euronews there is no \u201csilver bullet\u201d for stopping rogue drones, insisting he had been \u201crealistic\u201d about the limits of Latvia\u2019s air defence after a week of political tensions leading to the resignation of the Prime Minister.<\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"c-ad u-show-for-mobile-only\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt loading=\"lazy\"><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-ad u-show-for-desktop\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt loading=\"lazy\"><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>\u201cI have always said that it is difficult to deal with drones which have lost their trajectory,\u201d he told the <em>Europe Today<\/em> programme.<\/p>\n<p>Spr\u016bds resigned on Sunday after Latvia\u2019s Prime Minister Evika Sili\u0146a demanded he step down over a major security breach and the political firestorm that followed.<\/p>\n<p>Last Thursday, several drones entered Latvian airspace and crashed in the eastern Latgale region, near the communities of Balvi and Ludza, close to the Russian border. One drone struck an oil storage facility, sparking a small fire.<\/p>\n<p>No civilians were injured, but residents complained that emergency alerts arrived nearly an hour after the incident.<\/p>\n<p>The incidents \u201cclearly demonstrated that the political leadership of the defence sector has failed to fulfil its promise of safe skies over our country,\u201d Sili\u0146a said on Sunday, explaining Spr\u016bds\u2019 resignation.<\/p>\n<p>But the crisis quickly spiralled into a broader political meltdown. On Thursday, Sili\u0146a herself resigned after her coalition collapsed amid disputes over the government\u2019s handling of the drone incidents.<\/p>\n<p>Latvia\u2019s political elite have blamed Russia for electronically diverting Ukrainian drones into Baltic airspace, while critics at home accused Spr\u016bds of leaving the country exposed.<\/p>\n<p>In recent weeks, multiple drones believed to have been targeting Russia have crossed into Latvian, Lithuanian, and Estonian territory, fuelling fears over the Baltics\u2019 readiness to respond to military threats.<\/p>\n<p>J\u0101nis S\u0101rts, director of the NATO Strategic Communications Centre of Excellence, warned on the social media platform X that Latvia had become \u201cmore vulnerable\u201d to external threats amid the political turmoil.<\/p>\n<p>Asked by Euronews whether the delayed response to the drone incursions was ultimately his fault, Spr\u016bds said he accepted \u201cpolitical responsibility\u201d for safeguarding Latvia\u2019s defences.<\/p>\n<p>However, he argued the country must now focus on strengthening its resilience against future crises \u201cthat are coming\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere are questions about what we can do now and how we can do it,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAt the same time, we are moving forward with our air defences.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Spr\u016bds warned that hostile foreign actors could seek to exploit Latvia\u2019s political instability ahead of parliamentary elections in October.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere is manipulation by the aggressor country \u2013 by the neighbouring country \u2013 whose intentions we know and are aware of,\u201d he said, referring to Russia.<\/p>\n<p>On Sunday, Ukraine\u2019s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said the incidents were \u201cthe result of Russian electronic warfare deliberately diverting Ukrainian drones from their targets in Russia.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>He offered Ukraine\u2019s assistance to Latvia, Finland, and the wider Baltic region to help prevent similar incidents in future.<\/p>\n<p>Latvia is in the process of finalising a \u20ac3.49 billion defence loan from the European Union (EU) as part of the Security Action for Europe (SAFE) scheme.<\/p>\n<p>A spokesperson for the Latvian Defence Ministry said Riga\u2019s cabinet is in the process of finalising the package, which would be used to bolster air defences.<\/p>\n<p>Watch the full interview on Friday as part of Euronews\u2019 flagship morning show <em>Europe Today<\/em>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>                                  Go to accessibility shortcuts<\/p>\n<div class=\"c-article-partage-commentaire u-align-items-center u-display-flex\"><span class=\"c-article-partage-commentaire__links u-align-items-center u-display-flex u-justify-content-center js-c-article-partage-commentaire-share\"><span>Share<\/span><\/span><span>Comments<\/span><\/div>\n<div id=\"adb-article-you-might-also-like\" class=\"perf-cv-auto c-article-you-might-also-like\">\n<h2 class=\"c-article-you-might-also-like__title\">\n        Read more<br \/>\n      <\/h2>\n<div class=\"c-article-you-might-also-like__item\">\n<h3>\n<p>                  Late warnings and a minister\u2019s fall: Latvia\u2019s air-defence failures revealed<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-you-might-also-like__item\">\n<h3>\n<p>                  Drone strikes Moscow building just days before Russia&#8217;s Victory Day parade<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-you-might-also-like__item\">\n<h3>\n<p>                  Adapt or lose: Ukraine&#8217;s drone war is exposing Europe&#8217;s weakness<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"perf-cv-auto\">\n<ul id=\"adb-article-tags\" class=\"c-tags-list\">\n<li class=\"c-tags-list__item\">\n<section class=\"tc-cta\" data-twig-component=\"Cta-default\">\n  russian army<br \/>\n<\/section>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"c-tags-list__item\">\n<section class=\"tc-cta\" data-twig-component=\"Cta-default\">\n  Latvia<br \/>\n<\/section>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"c-tags-list__item\">\n<section class=\"tc-cta\" data-twig-component=\"Cta-default\">\n  Drones<br \/>\n<\/section>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<aside class=\"o-article-newsy__aside\">\n<div class=\"c-ad-wrapper o-article-newsy__aside__content-1\" data-ad-name=\"adzone-halfpage\">\n<div class=\"c-ad c-ad-halfpage u-show-for-desktop\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-ad u-show-for-mobile-only\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"adb-article-top-stories\" class=\"perf-cv-auto c-top-stories\">\n<h2 class=\"c-top-stories__title\">Top stories<\/h2>\n<div class=\"c-top-stories__item\">\n<article id=\"abe-2893633-pos2-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2893633\" data-cid=\"9758252\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2893633-label-pos2-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/74\/23\/55\/320x180_cmsv2_539411dc-0014-5c9f-b395-6f3c37b6b01e-9742355.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"SG NATO and Trump\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    US cancels planned troop deployment to Poland, Euronews confirms<br \/>\n  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id=\"abe-2893633-label-pos2-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/74\/23\/55\/320x180_cmsv2_539411dc-0014-5c9f-b395-6f3c37b6b01e-9742355.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"SG NATO and Trump\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    US cancels planned troop deployment to Poland, Euronews confirms<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2893730-pos3-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2893730\" data-cid=\"9758829\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2893730-label-pos3-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" 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src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/75\/81\/06\/320x180_cmsv2_2a0604bb-9410-5ddf-bd37-cc035c8c5fae-9758106.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Latvia's Prime Minister Evika Silina arrives for the EU Summit in Ayia Napa, Cyprus, Thursday, April 23, 2026. (AP Photo\/Petros Karadjias)\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Latvian Prime Minister Evika Sili\u0146a announces shock resignation<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2893714-pos6-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2893714\" data-cid=\"9758652\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2893714-label-pos6-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/75\/86\/52\/320x180_cmsv2_fdc52dbe-5fa1-56ab-9b09-4adb3a96a3b3-9758652.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"A replica of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny's jail cell from last year that was installed on a square near the Louvre Museum in Paris, 14 March, 2023\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Russia&#8217;s prison population falls by 180,000 since start of Ukraine war<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2893336-pos1-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2893336\" data-cid=\"9756571\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Which European economies are growing the fastest in 2026?<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2893342-pos2-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2893342\" data-cid=\"9756579\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Russian ship sunk off Spain carried nuclear reactors for North Korea<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2879110-pos3-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2879110\" data-cid=\"9688373\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Rare Caucasian horse breed gains renewed attention in Germany<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2893410-pos4-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2893410\" data-cid=\"9756979\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Europe watches Beijing summit from the sidelines and fears the worst<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2893621-pos5-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--has-video the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2893621\" data-cid=\"9758106\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Latvian Prime Minister Evika Sili\u0146a announces shock resignation<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<div class=\"articleBody\" data-key=\"articleBody\">Latvia\u2019s former defence minister Andris Spr\u016bds told Euronews there is no \u201csilver bullet\u201d for stopping rogue drones, insisting he had been \u201crealistic\u201d about the limits of Latvia\u2019s air defence after a week of political tensions leading to the resignation of the Prime Minister.\u201cI have always said that it is difficult to deal with drones which have lost their trajectory,\u201d he told the Europe Today programme.Spr\u016bds resigned on Sunday after Latvia\u2019s Prime Minister Evika Sili\u0146a demanded he step down over a major security breach and the political firestorm that followed.Last Thursday, several drones entered Latvian airspace and crashed in the eastern Latgale region, near the communities of Balvi and Ludza, close to the Russian border. One drone struck an oil storage facility, sparking a small fire.No civilians were injured, but residents complained that emergency alerts arrived nearly an hour after the incident.The incidents \u201cclearly demonstrated that the political leadership of the defence sector has failed to fulfil its promise of safe skies over our country,\u201d Sili\u0146a said on Sunday, explaining Spr\u016bds\u2019 resignation.But the crisis quickly spiralled into a broader political meltdown. On Thursday, Sili\u0146a herself resigned after her coalition collapsed amid disputes over the government\u2019s handling of the drone incidents.Latvia\u2019s political elite have blamed Russia for electronically diverting Ukrainian drones into Baltic airspace, while critics at home accused Spr\u016bds of leaving the country exposed.In recent weeks, multiple drones believed to have been targeting Russia have crossed into Latvian, Lithuanian, and Estonian territory, fuelling fears over the Baltics\u2019 readiness to respond to military threats.J\u0101nis S\u0101rts, director of the NATO Strategic Communications Centre of Excellence, warned on the social media platform X that Latvia had become \u201cmore vulnerable\u201d to external threats amid the political turmoil.Asked by Euronews whether the delayed response to the drone incursions was ultimately his fault, Spr\u016bds said he accepted \u201cpolitical responsibility\u201d for safeguarding Latvia\u2019s defences.However, he argued the country must now focus on strengthening its resilience against future crises \u201cthat are coming\u201d.\u201cThere are questions about what we can do now and how we can do it,\u201d he said.\u201cAt the same time, we are moving forward with our air defences.\u201dSpr\u016bds warned that hostile foreign actors could seek to exploit Latvia\u2019s political instability ahead of parliamentary elections in October.\u201cThere is manipulation by the aggressor country \u2013 by the neighbouring country \u2013 whose intentions we know and are aware of,\u201d he said, referring to Russia.On Sunday, Ukraine\u2019s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said the incidents were \u201cthe result of Russian electronic warfare deliberately diverting Ukrainian drones from their targets in Russia.\u201dHe offered Ukraine\u2019s assistance to Latvia, Finland, and the wider Baltic region to help prevent similar incidents in future.Latvia is in the process of finalising a \u20ac3.49 billion defence loan from the European Union (EU) as part of the Security Action for Europe (SAFE) scheme.A spokesperson for the Latvian Defence Ministry said Riga\u2019s cabinet is in the process of finalising the package, which would be used to bolster air defences.Watch the full interview on Friday as part of Euronews\u2019 flagship morning show Europe Today.<\/div>\n<p>[analyse_source url=&#8221;https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/my-europe\/2026\/05\/14\/ex-defence-minister-admits-latvia-faces-security-questions-but-no-silver-bullet-to-stop-dr&#8221;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/75\/88\/54\/1200x675_cmsv2_00da00a5-9567-5517-8fe9-dfe0838aae1c-9758854.jpg&#8221;] Top News Stories Today Latest news bulletin | May 14th, 2026 \u2013 Evening Europe News Poland makes history with first same-sex marriage registration No Comment &#8220;Super Mario&#8221; celebrated for defending the euro and European unity Tech News How South Korea is turning workplace skills into robot training data Top News Stories Today [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[90],"tags":[226,36],"class_list":["post-1935215","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-international","tag-crawlmanager","tag-euronews-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1935215","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1935215"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1935215\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1935215"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1935215"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1935215"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}