A drone flying over southern Estonia was taken down by a NATO fighter jet. The Romanian F-16 jet, part of NATO air policing forces in the Baltics, fired at a suspected Ukrainian drone over southern Estonia. Ukrainian authorities have apologized for the incident, termed as unintended, while Russia has cautioned against launching Ukrainian drones from Baltic countries.
Estonian Defence Minister Hanno Pevkur explained that due to the trajectory of the drone, the decision was made to intercept it, suspecting it was intended to target Russian assets. Recent months have seen a series of similar incidents where Ukrainian drones, possibly affected by Russian electronic interference, have entered NATO airspace.
Ukraine has been increasing drone attacks on Russian targets, causing tensions in the region. Measures are being discussed by experts from Ukraine and Estonia to prevent future incidents. Estonia’s defense minister emphasized the importance of avoiding attacks near NATO territory.
Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service has warned of potential drone attacks from Baltic countries and stated that precise surveillance systems could identify the launch sites. The situation has led to political turmoil in Latvia, with the government facing challenges over drone-related issues.
Estonia and Latvia have denied accusations of allowing their airspace for attacks on Russia. Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna affirmed Ukraine’s right to strike Russian military targets but highlighted that Estonia does not permit its airspace for such actions. The incidents are attributed to Russian interference activities.