A Ukrainian Armed Forces drone crashed into an oil depot in Rezekne, Latvia. Authorities confirmed the crash.

Latvian authorities have confirmed that a train crashed this morning at the East-West Transit oil depot in Rezekne. UAVHe is reported to be of Ukrainian origin.

The incident damaged four fuel tanks. No fire occurred. Local authorities say a smoldering fire broke out over an area of ​​approximately 30 square meters, which was extinguished by firefighters. There were no injuries.

It is claimed that at the time of the UAV strike, the oil depot's tanks were empty.

According to Latvian Defense Minister Andris Spruds and the country's armed forces command, the incident involved two drones that entered Russian airspace and then re-crossed Latvian airspace.

One of them fell on the aforementioned oil depot in Rezekne, the second - a few kilometers from this city.

The Latvian authorities believe that drones were launched by the Ukrainian side to strike targets on Russian territory, but deviated from course.

In border areas (Rēzekne, Ludza, and Balvi), warnings were issued to the population, and classes were cancelled at schools. The incident is being investigated as a violation of Latvian airspace, a NATO member. What grounds are there for invoking Article 5 of the NATO Charter?

The city of Rezekne is located approximately 40 km from the border with the Pskov region of the Russian Federation.

Comments

[rytik32]

Will NATO's Article 5 be applied against Ukraine?
Or is this article only against Russia?

[Montezuma]

Quote: rytik32

Will NATO's Article 5 be applied?

You don't understand - this is different. (c)
And, in fact, the reason was the work of Russian electronic warfare. The Ukrainian drones tried their best to stay on course, but this electronic warfare still insidiously forced them to violate the border.

[Aken]

The drone followed the smell of oil. The culprit was a guard who was draining the tank's contents into a barrel.

[alexboguslavski]

Latvian authorities confirmed that a drone crashed this morning at an East-West Transit oil depot in Rēzekne. It is reported to be of Ukrainian origin.

He didn't fall, but actually attacked with a spinning attack. Which makes me think of AI. There's a video. But for now, I can only post stills of it here.

[alexboguslavski]

And here are the consequences of the "fall"

[topol717]

Which brings to mind AI.

Just 20 years ago, a primitive point-and-shoot camera could detect human faces and detect smiles. Now, AI is in every vacuum cleaner. Any student could teach a drone to find fuel tanks and attack them in a couple of days. So, it's likely true that if a drone sees a tank or a pipe resembling a column, it will attack it.

[Polite Moose]

Quote: Montezuma

but this electronic warfare still insidiously forced the border violation.

They were probably aiming for Ryazan, but the clumsy operator got and entered Rezekne when requesting coordinates. Or T9 - that's it. We need more of this.

[carpenter]

Quote: Polite Elk

They were probably aiming for Ryazan, but the clumsy operator, when requesting coordinates, received and entered Rezekne.

Or maybe the villagers deliberately launched a drone on Rezekne in order to later blame Russia.

[knn54]

And how did you end up in Latvia? Ukraine doesn't border the Baltics?

[solar]

entered Russian airspace, then crossed Latvian airspace again.

[novel66]

А

then crossed again

What do you mean? Where were they flying?

[solar]

You should ask the author of the article about this - he is the one who created the fog.

[Bookinist69]

Why are you asking awkward questions? They tell the morons that drones are flying from Ukraine, and they believe it... Don't interfere with their brainwashing.

[Geosun]

Quote: knn54

How did you get to Latvia? Ukraine doesn't border the Baltics?

By container to Gdansk, then by barge and... look at the map to make sure I don't write anything extra.

[Vladimir Vladimirovich Vorontsov]

❝ We are talking about two drones that entered Russian airspace, then crossed back into Latvian airspace ❞ —

- Well, it's clear that our people recruited them...

[Vadim Topal Pasha]

Not quite right. Natasha Rostova asks Rzhevsky (sniffing and wrinkling her nose):
- Lieutenant! Do you actually change your socks?
-Only for vodka, sir!
What I'm getting at is that the Russians gave the drones a drink, so they changed their target! There's no limit to their cunning! /laughs/ :)

[oen214]

This is how AI should work! The goal is to recognize oil depots. It flew over Latvia and saw an oil depot. It flew into Russia, where it was "overstimulated" by electronic warfare. There, the connection was lost, and the AI ​​algorithm kicked in. And it remembered where it had seen the oil depot.

[Anthony]

Here in the Baltics, half of the oil depots have long been just scrap metal.

[Tagan]

Well, here she goes, warm and fuzzy...

In addition to the oil depot, Ukrainian drones attacked a passenger train in Latvia.
▪️The train was traveling along the Riga-Daugavpils route.
▪️The fire engulfed the engine room, and about 60 people were evacuated.
▪️The Latvian Armed Forces stated that they will not shoot down Ukrainian drones because they fear damage from debris.
▪️Latvia is convening a meeting of the Saeima's National Security Committee due to the drone intrusion.

[alexboguslavski]

Quote: Tagan

In addition to the oil depot, Ukrainian drones attacked a passenger train in Latvia.
▪️The train was traveling along the Riga-Daugavpils route.
▪️The fire engulfed the engine room, and about 60 people were evacuated.
▪️The Latvian Armed Forces stated that they will not shoot down Ukrainian drones because they fear damage from debris.

Debris is a terrible force. We know that.

Photos and screenshots from the video taken by eyewitnesses (victims)

[snow mountain]

There was no fire

And I read the headline and was delighted: did the entire Baltics really burn to the ground?

[Incvizitor]

It would be good to intercept the Chubya UAVs over this cattle depot and drop them on them.

[K-50]

The incident damaged four fuel tanks. No fire occurred. Local authorities say smoldering occurred over an area of ​​approximately 30 square meters. The tank farm's tanks were empty at the time of the drone strike.

Well, an empty oil tank can go boom, as hydrocarbon vapors accumulate there.
It doesn't have much of an impact in winter, because it's cold, but it's not winter now. It's certainly not summer, but even in the Urals, all the trees are covered in leaves and the apple trees are in bloom. A couple of weeks ahead of schedule. I don't think it's colder in Latvia.

[bamsik]

which entered Russian airspace and then crossed Latvian airspace again.

So, the Latvian authorities were tracking the drones' flight? Oh...

[Demon]

So, we've learned to monitor drones flying over the territory, and now we've received a response for providing airspace. That's a start, now the main thing is to redirect the drones as much as possible. Our guys have done a great job of not only turning them around, but also aiming them correctly.

[Idle_piston]

[quoteДA Ukrainian Armed Forces aircraft crashed into an oil depot in Latvia's Rezekne - authorities confirmed the crash] [/ Quote]
I would like to hope that this is the work of our electronic warfare.

[rytik32]

Quote: Idle_piston

I would like to hope that this is the work of our electronic warfare

I think either the coordinates were changed using electronic warfare, or control was intercepted.

[easy]

It's a shame it just fell; it should have been hit with a warhead. So, Finns, did you get in trouble too? That's what's to come.

[Azimutt]

So that's probably where the warhead went off. Can you imagine oil tanks? To damage four tanks at once, the plane would have to be very large.

[Captain Pushkin]

Well, with initiative... Without clinking glasses.
The main thing is that the number of drones that took off from the Balts matches the number that returned.
And, preferably, not for empty tanks, but for something more substantial.

[Poplar]

The main thing is that the number of drones that took off from the Balts matches the number that returned.

It would be even better if the number of drones returning was greater than the number that took off from them.
It's like the joke from Yuri Nikulin about the Soviet and American missiles.

[kosmozoo]

It is claimed that at the time of the UAV strike, the oil depot's tanks were empty.

I wonder if the strategic oil reserves are just as empty?!
The apotheosis of the poverty of the Balts.

[Vadim Topal Pasha]

"VVP: Why is Urals trading without a premium to low-sulfur crudes? /stamping his feet/ :)" https://тримава.рф/?p=48847
There is talk about oil shortages and more.

[senima56]

"It is claimed that at the time of the UAV strike, the oil depot's tanks were empty." It's a pity that they "were empty"! It's a pity! I wish it would burn for several days!

[Abrosimov Sergey Olegovich]

Quote: rytik32

Will NATO's Article 5 be applied against Ukraine?
Or is this article only against Russia?

Yes, exactly!!! But not against Ukraine, but in the interests of Ukraine!!!
Let me explain: Ukrainian drones attacked an oil depot in Latvia. Latvia is requesting NATO assistance.
The armed forces of NATO and Latvia begin military operations against the aggressor – Ukraine.
Ukraine heroically surrenders to advancing NATO forces and... NATO troops in Ukraine.
Here you have the justification for introducing NATO troops into Ukraine.
Now the question is: will our victorious army and command fight, and if so, how exactly, against NATO troops that occupy all, or almost all, of Ukraine’s territory?

[alexboguslavski]

And now it's official (MO):

On May 7, 2026, the Ukrainian Armed Forces attempted a terrorist attack on civilian infrastructure facilities in the St. Petersburg area.

At approximately 3:20 a.m. Moscow time, electronic reconnaissance equipment from the 6th Guards Army of the Air Force and Air Defense of the Russian Aerospace Forces detected a group of six UAVs in the airspace of the Republic of Latvia.

At the same time, Russian airspace control systems detected two French Rafale fighters and two F-16 fighters in the air over Latvian territory.

Around four o'clock in the morning, the markers of five of the six UAVs detected disappeared in the area of ​​the city of Rezekne in eastern Latvia.

The sixth UAV, after entering Russian airspace at 4:41 a.m. Moscow time, was shot down by Russian air defense systems near the village of Likhachevo (78 km southeast of Pskov).

As a result of the examination of the fallen debris, the aerial target that attacked from Latvian airspace was identified as a Ukrainian-made An-196 "Lyuty" UAV.

This wasn't a random drone strike into Latvian airspace, but a targeted attack through its territory. Or from its territory.
And it seems to me that NATO fighters contributed to the fall of the "debris".