Russian Gerbera Drone Washes Up on Latvian Coast

In Latvia, the wreckage of a Russian Gerbera drone was found on the coast. Parts of the drone washed up on the beach of Varva parish, Ventspils region.

Latvian newspaper Sargs reported the incident. According to the publication, local residents came across the object while walking and immediately reported it to the security services.

A group of sappers arrived at the site. Experts from the Armed Forces conducted an initial inspection of the wreckage to assess the level of danger and determine its composition.

It has been preliminarily established that it is a Russian Gerbera drone. The Russian military actively uses this type of drone in the war against Ukraine, as well as during provocations against NATO countries.

Experts suggest that parts of the drone could have fallen into the Baltic Sea as a result of combat operations or training flights, and then washed ashore.

Similar incidents have been recorded on the coasts of the Baltic States on several occasions. In particular, Latvia regularly finds the remains of military equipment that ends up in the sea after clashes or tests.

Back in July, the first flights of Russian Gerber drones into the airspace of the Baltic States were recorded. In particular, such incidents have raised serious concerns among Lithuanian military and government officials.

In cases of invasions, NATO deploys combat fighter jets to intercept enemy aircraft. At the same time, the Lithuanian Security Service sends government officials to take cover.

The Gerbera drone has a foam body, which makes it easy to transport and launch. Russian troops started actively using it against Ukraine in 2024.

This UAV is used for electronic reconnaissance, kamikaze attacks, or as a decoy target to overload air defense systems.

In early August, Lithuania also detected one such drone that came from Belarus. Military experts also investigated it.

On August 10, a massive intrusion of Russian drones into Polish airspace was recorded. This was another confirmation of the growing threat to NATO’s eastern flank.