Four Italian soldiers wounded in NATO exercise in Latvia
One seriously hurt after vehicle came under fire near Adazi; troops evacuated to Riga and an investigation launched.
Four Italian soldiers were wounded, one seriously, during a NATO exercise in Latvia, Italy's Ministry of Defence in Rome said.
According to the ministry, their vehicle came under fire from a machine gun that had been mounted on an Italian armoured transporter, the Dardo, at a military base near the small town of Adazi. The precise circumstances of the incident remain unclear.
The injured soldiers were evacuated to the Latvian capital, Riga, for treatment. The ministry said none of the four is in life‑threatening condition. The Italian military has opened an investigation into what happened.
Italian contingent and NATO role
Italy has deployed more than 300 troops to Latvia as part of a multinational brigade. Soldiers from more than a dozen countries are stationed at the Latvian base where the exercise took place.
The multinational NATO brigade is responsible for defending the alliance's northeastern flank, with particular emphasis on deterring any potential attack from Russia against the Baltic states. Italian authorities said they will provide updates as the inquiry continues.
Photo: press material from the event
