Latvia Extends Nighttime Airspace Restrictions Along Russian and Belarusian Borders Indefinitely

Extended Restrictions Come into Effect

Latvia has announced the indefinite extension of nighttime airspace restrictions along its eastern borders with Russia and Belarus. The decision, made by the Latvian Ministry of Defense and effective from October 8, 2025, mandates a partial closure of airspace between 8:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. local time. This measure applies to a 50-kilometer-deep belt along the border, up to an altitude of 6,000 meters, primarily targeting low-flying objects such as drones. Commercial airliners operating above this altitude are generally unaffected.

Response to NATO Airspace Violations

Latvian Defense Minister Andris Sprūds stated that the extension is a direct response to recent airspace violations observed in other NATO countries and is linked to NATO's 'Eastern Sentry' program. The restrictions are designed to bolster Latvia's capabilities for monitoring aerial activity, conducting drone and anti-drone simulations, and deploying and training mobile combat units.

Several incidents have prompted heightened vigilance across the alliance's eastern flank:

• On September 10, 2025, approximately ten Russian drones reportedly entered Polish airspace from Belarus, leading to NATO forces downing some of the unmanned aircraft.
• On September 19, 2025, three Russian MiG-31 fighter jets violated Estonian airspace over the Gulf of Finland for 12 minutes.
• Lithuania experienced Russian drone incursions in July 2025, with one decoy drone from Belarus crashing near its border.
• A fragment of a Russian Heron drone was previously discovered on the Latvian coast.

Previous Measures and Regional Coordination

This latest extension follows a period of temporary airspace closures. Latvia initially implemented a full airspace closure along its eastern borders from September 11 to September 18, 2025. Subsequently, nighttime restrictions were in place from September 18 until the current indefinite extension on October 8, 2025.

The Latvian Ministry of Defense has clarified that while there is no immediate direct military threat to Latvia, its armed forces remain on high alert, particularly during the ongoing national defense exercises 'Namejs 2025'. Neighboring NATO allies, including Poland, Lithuania, and Estonia, have also implemented similar airspace restrictions in response to the escalating regional tensions. NATO's air patrol mission has been reinforced, and new acoustic monitoring systems have been deployed along the eastern border to enhance surveillance capabilities.