Latvian PM Evika Siliņa Resigns Over Drone Incursions
Latvian Prime Minister Evika Silina announced her resignation on Thursday following a political crisis triggered by the incursion of Ukrainian drones into Latvian territory.
The political collapse follows an incident on May 7, when three drones entered Latvian airspace. According to official acknowledgments from both Latvia and Ukraine, the aircraft were likely Ukrainian UAVs intended for targets in Russia that strayed into Latvia after their signals were jammed. One drone crashed on the ground, while another struck an empty oil product storage facility near the town of Rezekne. A third drone entered and exited Latvian airspace without crashing. No casualties or injuries were reported.
Coalition collapse and ministerial dismissals
The resignation is the culmination of a rapid deterioration in the ruling coalition’s stability. Last week, Prime Minister Silina fired Defence Minister Andris Spruds, criticizing his handling of the drone incursions. Following the dismissal, Silina appointed a replacement to lead the ministry.
In response to the firing, the Progressives party, led by Spruds, withdrew its support for the governing coalition. This move effectively collapsed the government several months ahead of the general election scheduled for October.
Addressing the situation on Thursday, Silina stated, “Seeing a strong candidate for the post of defence minister… Political windbags have chosen a crisis.” She added, “I am resigning but I am not giving up.”
Defence spending and public response
The fallout was exacerbated by reports from local residents who described the government’s response to the drone crashes as delayed and insufficient. Specifically, reports indicated that the cell broadcast alert system was not activated until an hour after the drone struck the facility near Rezekne.
Silina acknowledged the failures in the immediate aftermath of the incident, stating, “Something went wrong. We cannot afford for this situation to continue.”
The Prime Minister linked the need for accountability to the scale of the country’s military investment. Silina noted that Latvia spends 5% of its GDP on national defence, an expenditure she argued entails a “much higher level of responsibility toward society… That requires clear results.”
This event marks the second such drone accident in Latvian airspace since the start of 2026. The government’s collapse leaves the administration in transition as the country moves toward its October general election.