Latvia: alert lifted in Balvi and Ludza — ground search continues
The armed forces recorded the alert ending at 00:35 on 3 November. A possible object falling in Balvi remains preliminary information.
Latvia’s National Armed Forces announced that the airspace alert in Balvi and Ludza municipalities had been lifted. The latest original statement, dated 3 November 2026, records the end at 00:35. The initial warning had taken effect at 00:10 that day.
These are Latvian local times, which coincide with Athens time. The specified alert period has ended, while the investigation into the object continues.
What the military announced
According to Latvia’s armed forces, interceptor drones were involved in the response, while fighters from NATO’s Baltic Air Policing mission were activated. The activation was also reported by Reuters in coverage carried by ERT.
According to the military’s preliminary information, the object fell in Balvi municipality. Ground searches continue to establish its location and the circumstances. The statement does not provide a final identification, origin or confirmed cause of the fall.
Advice concerning suspicious objects
The authorities ask anyone who finds a suspicious object or debris not to approach or touch it, and to notify 112. This advice concerns possible discoveries; the announcement lifting the alert does not extend the earlier airspace warning.
The distinction matters to residents and visitors in the two areas: the warning has officially ended, while questions about the object remain part of the official investigation.
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