A drone carrying a 5-kilogram warhead was discovered in southern Estonia nearly two weeks after a Ukrainian strike on northwestern Russia, raising concerns about stray attacks impacting NATO territory.
The discovery of a drone with explosives on NATO territory highlights the risks of stray attacks during the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and raises concerns about the potential for escalation and unintended consequences within allied nations.
A drone equipped with a 5-kilogram warhead was discovered in southern Estonia earlier this month, following a Ukrainian attack on northwestern Russia. The drone was found in a field in the Voru county, a region bordering Latvia and Russia, by a local resident nearly two weeks ago. Estonian officials are investigating whether this drone is one that may have strayed during the June 3 Ukrainian strike against Russian targets. Previously, the Estonian military had stated no drones were found on Estonian territory on June 3. Information regarding the drone's discovery was received by Estonian authorities on June 10, but its reporting was delayed due to a large-scale military exercise. This incident follows similar past events, including a Ukrainian drone hitting a power plant chimney in Estonia in March and a NATO fighter jet shooting down another stray Ukrainian UAV over Estonian territory on May 19. Estonian Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur has called on Kyiv to ensure better control over its drones during operations against Russia, as these incidents contribute to strain between Ukraine and its European allies.