Finland and Baltic States Restrict Ukrainian Drone Use Near Russia

Ukraine has stated that Russia deliberately redirected Ukrainian strike drones toward Finland and the Baltic states to create tensions between Kyiv and its European allies. The claims were made by Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha on March 31, 2026, during a press conference in Kyiv alongside EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas.

Sybiha stated that Ukrainian intelligence indicates these incidents were deliberate and targeted actions by Russia intended to frame Ukraine as responsible for drone incursions beyond its borders. He emphasized that Ukraine has never intentionally directed drones toward these countries and is maintaining constant contact with Finland, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania to prevent future occurrences.

Drone Incursions in the Baltic States

Three Baltic states recorded drone incursions within a 48-hour window in late March 2026. These incidents occurred while Ukrainian drones were targeting Russian Baltic port infrastructure.

The most significant event took place at 3:43 a.m. On March 25, 2026, when a drone crossing from Russia into Estonian airspace struck the chimney of the Auvere power station in eastern Ida-Viru County. The power station is located less than 50 kilometers from the Russian port of Ust-Luga, which was a target of Ukrainian strikes that night.

Enefit Power, the Estonian energy company, reported that no one was injured and the plant’s power output remained unaffected. Despite the lack of casualties, the event triggered a nationwide alarm alert and an emergency government session in Tallinn.

Margo Palloson, Director General of the Estonian Internal Security Service, confirmed the drone was of Ukrainian origin. Estonia’s foreign minister further stated the device was not directed at Estonia.

Lt. Gen. Andrus Merilo, Commander of the Estonian Defense Forces, stated that while investigators are identifying the specific drone type, he is confident the device was not for reconnaissance but was an explosive-laden device — either an attack drone or a decoy drone.

Earlier on the same night, a drone entered Latvian airspace from Russia and detonated in the Krāslava region in southeastern Latvia at approximately 2:30 a.m. Egils Leščinskis, the Latvian Deputy Chief of Joint Staff, noted that the object was detected by radar about ten minutes before impact and suggested the aircraft most likely veered off course or was affected by electromagnetic warfare measures.

Incidents in Finland

Finland also experienced airspace violations involving drones. On March 29, 2026, two aerial vehicles entered Finnish airspace before crashing near Kouvola in southern Finland. The Finnish defense ministry described the event as a suspected territorial violation.

Finnish authorities identified one of the drones as Ukrainian, while the origin of the second remained unknown. The Finnish prime minister suggested the vehicles may have been stray Ukrainian drones. In response, Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry apologized for the incident and stated the drones were not intentionally directed toward Finland.

Finnish officials have warned that drone activity is likely to continue in the vicinity of the country. Following these breaches, Estonia has recommended that Ukraine utilize different flight paths when conducting attacks against Russia’s Baltic infrastructure.

Electronic Warfare and Diversion Claims

The incidents have raised questions regarding the role of Russian electronic warfare (EW). While Ukraine alleges deliberate redirection by Russia to provoke NATO members, some assessments suggest the incursions could be a byproduct of Russian EW defenses or the extreme flight distances the drones must travel.

The Ukrainian government maintains that these are not accidental deviations but strategic efforts by Russia to stir diplomatic friction. Foreign Minister Sybiha asserted that Ukraine is sharing all necessary information with Finnish and Baltic authorities to mitigate the risk of further territorial violations.