Latvia Spots Russian Planes, Ships Near Territorial Waters

Latvia's Armed Forces reported spotting three Russian aircraft and two ships near its territorial waters on Tuesday.

In the air, Latvian patrol planes reported spotting two Russian long-range An-124 military transport aircraft, as well as well as an Il-76 multi-purpose strategic airlifter.

Moreover, on the sea, the Armed Forces identified the Russian 'Merkuri', which appeared to have been towing a search and rescue vessel 7.2 nautical miles off Latvian territorials waters.

Air Policing jets on 28 JUL in international airspace above the Baltic Sea near LV border identified RU AF 2x An-124, 1x Il-76.

— NBS (@Latvijas_armija) 28 июля 2015

LVA Armed Forces on 28 JUL in LVA EEZ 7,2nm from territ. waters spotted RU ship Merkury towing SAR ship.

— NBS (@Latvijas_armija) 28 июля 2015

Latvia's Armed Forces (the NBS) regularly reports sightings of Russian military naval and air units along the country's maritime borders. So far in 2015, the NBS reported spotting Russian military units nearly sixty times, down from 250 times in 2014.

Earlier this month, the US guided missile destroyer USS Jason Dunham paid a brief visit to Riga, taking part in what the US Navy calls a passing exercise, or PASSEX, along with the Latvian Navy patrol craft Jelgava. Last month, NATO forces held a series of large-scale military exercises known as Saber Strike 2015 near Russia's borders in Poland and the Baltic states. Amid the exercises, the NBS counted over a dozen naval and air units sailing and flying around their borders within the space of 48 hours.