Latvia will close its airspace along its borders with Belarus and Russia starting at 6 p.m. today, September 11th, and continuing until at least September 18th, according to an announcement made this morning. Defense Minister Andris Sprūds emphasized that while there is no direct threat to Latvia, the measure is essential as a preventive action. This move follows Russian drone incursions into Polish airspace, which have raised concerns across NATO member states. The Kremlin has challenged NATO, with one analysis suggesting that without a strong response, Europe could face a new war. Earlier on September 11th, Lithuania's Defence Minister Dovilė Šakalienė stated that no unidentified aircraft entered Lithuanian airspace during the Russian drone attacks on Poland. Poland had previously restricted air traffic in its eastern regions due to Russian drone activity and requested a UN Security Council meeting to address the violation, which was characterized as an "unprecedented alarm in NATO history." Polish and Dutch military jets were scrambled in response to the earlier drone incursions over Polish territory.
