Key facts
- A French Rafale jet shot down a Russian drone over Latvia on Monday.
- The Latvian army attributed the drone incursion to Russian electromagnetic warfare.
- French warplanes intercepted Russian military aircraft 11 times over the Baltic in one week.
- Ukraine recaptured over 600 sq km of territory in total, with a net gain of 100 sq km in May.
- Ukraine's Fire Point tested its FP7.X ballistic missile for the Freyja air defence system.
- Ukraine's drone launches towards Finland on May 15 triggered a security alert and halted air traffic at Helsinki-Vantaa Airport.
- The Finnish Defense Forces confirmed no violation of Finnish airspace occurred.
- Russia's daily production of FPV drones has reached over 15,000 units.
- A Russian drone struck a spent nuclear fuel storage facility near the Chornobyl power plant.
- Romania's navy detonated a Russian YaRM-type anti-landing mine on its Black Sea shore.
- A Swedish court ruled a seized ship, the Caffa, can be handed over to Ukraine.
NATO forces are maintaining a vigilant presence in the Baltic region, with French Rafale fighter jets actively intercepting Russian military aircraft and drones. On Monday, a French Rafale jet on a NATO mission shot down a drone that had entered Latvian airspace from Russia, an incursion attributed by the Latvian army to Russian electromagnetic warfare. In a separate but related development, French warplanes intercepted Russian military aircraft 11 times over the Baltic region in a single week as part of NATO's Baltic Air Policing Mission. French officials characterized these incidents, involving armed fighter jets, intelligence, and transport planes flying without flight plans or radio contact, as 'provocations'.
Meanwhile, Ukraine reports net territorial gains in May, with its military chief stating that Ukrainian forces recaptured over 600 sq km of territory in total, including a net gain of 100 sq km in the past month, while heavy fighting persists in eastern and southern sectors. Ukraine is also advancing its indigenous defense capabilities, with its largest missile and drone maker, Fire Point, conducting a flight test of its FP7.X ballistic missile. This missile is intended to form the basis of the Freyja anti-ballistic interceptor air defence system, aiming to provide a low-cost alternative to the U.S. Patriot system, particularly amid Ukraine's shortage of interceptor missiles.
However, Ukraine's drone activity has also led to security alerts. On May 15, explosive-laden drones launched by Ukraine towards Finland triggered a security alert affecting 1.8 million people and causing air traffic to halt at Helsinki-Vantaa Airport. While initially suspected to be from Russia, Ukraine later warned of an accidental launch, and the Finnish Defense Forces confirmed no violation of Finnish airspace occurred. Concurrently, Russia has dramatically increased its drone production, with daily output of FPV drones reaching over 15,000 units, a 30-fold increase in three years, signaling a growing edge in drone warfare.
Further incidents highlight the ongoing conflict's reach. A Russian drone struck a spent nuclear fuel storage facility near Ukraine's Chornobyl power plant, causing structural damage to a reception building but resulting in stable radiation levels and no injuries. In the Black Sea, Romania's navy detonated a Russian YaRM-type anti-landing mine that had drifted to its shore. This incident is part of a joint task force with Bulgaria and Turkey to clear mines in the region, with Romanian soldiers having neutralized nine such mines since the start of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Additionally, a Swedish court has ruled that the seizure of the cargo ship Caffa was lawful, allowing the vessel to be handed over to Ukraine, which is investigating suspected war crimes related to property appropriation from Russian-occupied territory.