In brief
Ukrainian drones entered Estonian and Latvian airspace from Russia, resulting in one drone striking a power plant in Estonia and another crashing in Latvia. No major injuries or damages were reported, and both countries are assessing the implications of these incidents against the backdrop of Ukraine's ongoing military activities. Estonian officials noted these occurrences as potential consequences of Russia's aggressive actions in the region. The situation highlights the complexities of drone warfare and airspace security among neighboring nations.
Ukrainian drones entered Estonian and Latvian air spaces from Russia overnight, with one hitting infrastructure and another crashing on land, Tallinn and Riga have said.
One struck the chimney of a power plant in Auvere, Estonia, while another exploded in the southern Kraslava region of Latvia. No major damage or injuries were reported.
The incident occurred around the same time as Ukraine launched a massive drone attack on the Russian port of Ust-Luga on the Baltic Sea, some 25km (15 miles) away from the Estonian border.
Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal confirmed that Ust-Luga was attacked in three waves between 03:00 and 08:00 local time. Baltic air patrols were activated, and Estonians received notifications on their phones warning of a drone threat.
The country's security police chief, Margo Palloson, stated that it was a Ukrainian drone that deviated from its course, possibly affected in Russian airspace. Latvian Prime Minister Edgars Rinkevics also confirmed that the drone that hit Latvia was of Ukrainian origin.
Latvian Defence Minister Andris Spruds cut short a visit to Ukraine and returned to Latvia in light of the incident. Egils Lescinskis, Latvian deputy chief of the Joint Staff, suggested that the drone most likely veered off course or was affected by electromagnetic warfare measures protecting some technically important objects.
He noted that drones can miss their targets when jamming systems interfere with their GPS signals. Lescinskis admitted no local residents could feel completely safe while military operations are taking place in neighboring countries.
Palloson warned that Estonia might face more such incidents, while Michal emphasized the futility of thinking they could isolate themselves from the conflict at the border with Russia.
A similar incident occurred in Lithuania when a Ukrainian attack drone crashed and exploded near the Belarusian border. Authorities confirmed it had been launched as part of operations against Russia, indicating the ongoing complexities in airspace security in the region.
Earlier this week, Ukraine also targeted the Primorsk port on the Baltic Sea, with almost 400 drones fired towards various Russian regions throughout the night.
