A fragment of a Russian military drone Gerbera washed up on a beach in Latvia’s Ventspils district on 18 September, drawing a response from the country’s armed forces and prompting renewed attention to Russia’s unmanned aircraft activity near NATO borders.
The Gerbera drone features a cheap lightweight styrofoam-based fuselage, allowing for easy transport and rapid launch. Russia began actively deploying the model in 2024. During its regular air attacks on Ukraine, Russia uses dozens of Gerberas alongside Iranian-designed Shaheds to overwhelm Ukrainian air defenses. Shahed drones are capable of carrying up to 90 kg of explosives. While primarily intended as decoys, Gerberas have been modified to carry small explosive charges and onboard cameras, enabling them to transmit visual data from inside Ukraine.
Latvian beachgoers find tail of washed-up Russian drone
The National Armed Forces of Latvia (NBS) reported that a tail section of a drone was discovered on a beach in Vārve parish, Ventspils district. Authorities said it was washed in from the Baltic Sea.
Sargs says Latvia’s State Police said initial information showed no threat had been identified at the site. Nonetheless, NBS dispatched an unexploded ordnance disposal team to analyze the wreckage and determine next steps.
"Such cases are not uncommon along the Latvian coast – remnants of munitions or fragments of other military objects are regularly found washed ashore," Sargs noted.
Identified as Gerbera drone used by Russian forces
Ukrainian defense outlet Militarnyi noted that the wreckage was preliminarily identified as part of a Russian Gerbera drone. This model is actively used by Russia in its war against Ukraine and in provocations targeting NATO countries.
Recent Gerbera/Shahed incidents
In July, the first confirmed flights of Gerbera drones into the airspace of Baltic countries were recorded. These incidents reportedly caused serious concern among Lithuanian military and government officials.
The same type of drone was previously discovered in Lithuania in early August, having entered from Belarusian territory.
On 10 September, Russia launched a mass incursion of Russian drones into Polish airspace, further confirming the growing threat along NATO’s eastern flank.
On 13 September, a Russian drone violated Romania's airspace.
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