Today, 21 April 2026, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned the Chargé d’Affaires ad interim of the Embassy of Russia and lodged a categorical protest against the blatantly false statements made publicly on 18 April 2026 by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia, Sergey Lavrov, regarding Latvia’s alleged permission to use its airspace for drone attacks on the northern regions of the Russian Federation. Latvia consistently rejects these claims as entirely unfounded.
The Baltic states have not granted permission for the use of their territory and airspace for drone attacks against targets in Russia. This position has been officially communicated to the Chargés d’Affaires of the Russian embassies in Tallinn (27 March), Riga (31 March), and Vilnius (27 March). On 10 April, the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the Baltic states issued a joint statement regarding Russia’s disinformation campaign: Joint statement by the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania regarding Russia’s ongoing disinformation campaign | Ārlietu ministrija
Notwithstanding the clear and official reaction of the Baltic states, Russia continues to spread lies.
During today’s meeting with Russia’s Chargé d’Affaires ad interim, strong condemnation was also expressed regarding the actions of the Tomsk City Council, which on 19 April 2026 dismantled the memorial stones erected in Tomsk’s Memorial Square to commemorate the victims of political repression, including the memorial stone for politically repressed Latvians. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasises that the dismantling of the memorial stones highlights the prevailing stance in modern-day Russia, which justifies the crimes committed by the Soviet totalitarian regime, including the illegal occupation of neighbouring countries, inhumane repression, and massive human rights violations against the citizens of those countries, and demands an explanation from the Russian side regarding these events.