Key facts
- Stray military drones, primarily Ukrainian, have repeatedly entered the airspace of Finland, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania.
- These incursions have led to security warnings, airport suspensions, and even a government collapse in Latvia.
- Ukraine attributes the drone deviations to Russian electronic warfare, while NATO forces have intercepted some drones.
- The incidents have raised concerns about the Ukraine war spilling over into NATO's northern borders.
- Finland, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania have implemented various security measures, including airspace restrictions and public warnings.
Military drones, primarily identified as Ukrainian, have repeatedly strayed into the airspace of Finland, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, sparking security concerns about the conflict in Ukraine extending to NATO's northern borders. These incursions have triggered a series of events, including security warnings, airport traffic suspensions, and even the collapse of Latvia's coalition government.
Incidents began in late March with Ukrainian drones entering Estonia and Latvia via Russia, with one hitting a power station in Estonia and another crashing in Latvia. Finland also reported suspected territorial violations by unmanned aerial vehicles in its southeast. In May, Latvia and Lithuania called for strengthened NATO air defenses after drones crossed from Russia and crashed in Latvia, with one exploding at an oil storage facility. This led to the resignation of Latvia's defense minister, and subsequently, the prime minister, causing the government's collapse.
Finnish authorities issued a public warning and suspended air traffic in the Helsinki region due to suspected drone activity, though President Alexander Stubb stated there was no direct military threat. NATO fighter jets have been scrambled multiple times to intercept drones over Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. Ukraine has apologized for some incursions, attributing the deviations to Russian electronic warfare and denying using Baltic territory for strikes on Russia. In response to the ongoing threats, Finland has imposed temporary airspace and maritime restrictions off its coast near the Russian border.