TWO Russian assault drones flying towards Ukraine breached Nato airspace – sparking fresh escalation fears.
Authorities confirmed one of them crossed into Romanian territory early Sunday, while another crashed in eastern Latvia the previous day.
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Romania‘s Ministry of National Defence said its military radars detected a drone that had entered its airspace before it “left the national territory towards Ukraine”.
F-16 warplanes were deployed to monitor its airspace while text alerts were to residents of two eastern regions, it added.
It also said investigations were underway of a potential impact zone in an uninhabited area along the Romanian-Ukrainian border.
There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage.
more on Russia-Ukraine war
Later on Sunday, Latvia Defense Minister Andris Sprds said a Russian drone fell the day before near the town of Rezekne and had likely strayed into Latvia from neighbouring Belarus.
Rezekne lies some 34 miles west of Russia and around 47 miles from Belarus – the Kremlin’s top ally.
Romania‘s Foreign Ministry strongly condemned the “renewed violation” of its airspace in a statement, calling on Moscow to end the “repeated attacks” leading to the “irresponsible escalation” of the security situation in the region.
Mircea Geoan, Nato‘s deputy secretary-general and Romania’s former top diplomat, said the military alliance condemned Russia‘s violation of Romanian airspace.
He wrote on X/Twitter: “While we have no information indicating an intentional attack by Russia against the Allies, these acts are irresponsible and potentially dangerous.”
Latvia’s military said it had identified the crash site, and that a probe was ongoing.
Ukraine Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha dubbed the incursions “a reminder of Russian aggression”.
“The collective response of the Allies should be maximum support for Ukraine now, to put an end to (Russian aggression), protect lives and preserve peace in Europe.”
President Volodymyr Zelensky’s chief of staff called allies to shoot down Russian drones invading Nato airspace.
“Nato must respond to the fact that Russian ‘Shaheds’ feel free to fly in the airspace of European countries,” Andriy Yermak added.
While the incursion into Latvian airspace appeared to be a rare incident, Romania has confirmed drone fragments on its territory on several occasions since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022 – as recently as July this year.
LATEST ON RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR
Russia has been desperately trying to regain the upper hand in Ukraine after Zelensky’s forces pushed through into enemy territory on August 6.
They now claim to control over 500 square miles of Putin’s territory in Russia’s worst defeat on home soil since World War Two.
President Zelensky said the blitz was part of a master plan to help end the war.
It served a humiliating blow to Putin’s efforts – as the so-called “special operation” he said would last just weeks in early 2022 approaches the three-year mark.
Footage has revealed the true extent of Ukraine’s success in Kursk with hordes of Russian soldiers surrendering and being taken as prisoners of war.
Raging Putin hit back with indiscriminate air attacks on Ukrainian cities as he licks his wounds from the crushing defeat.
Just days ago two Russian ballistic missiles were launched at a military academy and hospital inside Ukraine.
At least 51 people were killed and 271 were injured in what has been described as one of the deadliest attacks since the start of the war.
Russian Islander missiles scored a direct hit on a parade ground and canteen as electronic warfare trainees gathered in Poltava in northeastern Ukraine.
Dozens of military recruits scrambled for cover after being alerted by sirens but were blown up in the blast before they could reach for safety.
The attack was aimed at cadets from specialist military unit A3990 at the Institute of Communications but also damaged a nearby hospital.
Meanwhile, Putin once again has floated peace talks with Ukraine.
He said he was “ready to negotiate” and was willing to revisit a failed deal from mediated talks between Kyiv and Moscow in Istanbul early on in the war.
And this comes just weeks after Ukrainian soldiers burst into Russia.
Speaking at the 2024 Eastern Economic Forum on September 5, he said: “Are we ready to negotiate with them?
“We have never refused to do so, but not based on some ephemeral demands, but based on those documents that were agreed and initiated in Istanbul.”
A preliminary agreement between Russia and Ukraine was reached in the Turkish city not long after the war began but was never implemented.
The terms of the deal were never made public.
Ageing Putin, 71, said China, India and Brazil could act as mediators in potential new peace talks.
He later added: “If there is a desire of Ukraine to carry on with the negotiations, I can do that.”
Putin has previously floated peace talks – but has always insisted that Russia would take, or get to keep occupied Ukrainian territory.
Kyiv has previously said it will not directly engage with Russia during any negotiations to end the war and has been steadfast in not giving up any of its territory.
Is Putin’s ‘peace talks’ offer sincere?
By Alan Mendoza, Founder and the Executive Director of the Henry Jackson Society
Vladimir Putin is not known for making offers out of the goodness of his heart.
So his sudden interest in peace talks to end the Ukraine War must be on account of something other than a genuine desire to end the bloodshed he initiated in 2022 by invading Ukraine.
The reason is likely obvious: it has finally dawned on Putin that a war that was supposed to be over in days has no easy end.
Ukraine’s surprise August invasion of Russia’s Kursk province will have played a factor in his thinking.
Putin has long posed as the champion of Russian security. Yet he has been unable to reverse a humiliating seizure of Russian land.
With the prospect of Ukraine soon being able to use long-range missiles to target Russian missile and air bases, the immediate future looks challenging for Putin.
His raising of peace talks is an acknowledgement that Ukrainian successes are unnerving him.
But before we get too excited, Putin has not revealed any of the terms he is offering.
And if they involve punishing Ukraine by forcing it to give up territory, then they will be unacceptable.
So the onus must now be on Putin to outline what he is proposing, without allowing him to stall for time, or to disrupt Ukraine’s advances.
It is military pressure on Putin that has got us to this point.
It will need to continue for us to be certain that he is really considering ending this terrible war of his own making.
