Finland’s Prime Minister Petteri Orpo and Air Force Commander Timo Herranen announced that there have been no violations of the country’s airspace by Ukrainian drones. This statement was made during a press conference, following reports of potential drone activity near the Finnish border.
Orpo indicated that authorities had received intelligence suggesting that drones might enter Finnish airspace. He noted that such incidents could occur as long as the conflict between Ukraine and Russia continues, particularly with Ukrainian drone attacks targeting Russian territory.
According to Herranen, the heightened alert level and subsequent safety bulletin were prompted by a general assessment of the threat in the area between Helsinki and Porvoo. The Finnish Defence Forces received information on the evening of May 14 that Ukrainian drones could be operating over Uusimaa from approximately 4 AM to 7 AM, with a larger payload than previously reported.
Herranen explained that both the number of potentially rogue drones and the size of their explosive payload contributed to the threat assessment. He confirmed, however, that no drones had actually entered Finnish airspace, stating, “In Finland, there has been no violation of territory; the drones ultimately did not head here.”
During the press conference, officials did not clarify whether any warnings had been issued from Ukraine or NATO regarding the situation.
On the morning of May 15, air traffic at Helsinki-Vantaa Airport was suspended for several hours due to reports of a drone entering Finnish airspace.
In a related incident on March 29, Prime Minister Orpo reported that two unidentified drones had violated Finnish airspace and subsequently crashed on its territory. These drones were believed to be Ukrainian, having been deployed in attacks on Russian targets, and were reportedly jammed by electronic warfare measures. The Finnish Defence Forces are currently investigating this incident.
Following the March 29 event, the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued an apology to Finland, clarifying that the drones did not intentionally target the country.
The European Commission responded to the drone incidents, stating that responsibility lies with Russia.
On April 11, Finnish authorities discovered an unexploded drone, marking the fourth such drone found in the country. Police suspect that this drone, like the previous three, is also of Ukrainian origin.
Finland's government has confirmed that no Ukrainian drones have violated its airspace, despite recent concerns and heightened security alerts. The situation reflects ongoing tensions related to the conflict between Ukraine and Russia, with authorities monitoring potential drone activity.