The Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has issued an apology to Estonia following an incident on May 19, when a drone entered Estonian airspace. Officials emphasized that such occurrences are unintentional and linked to actions by Russia, which allegedly uses electronic warfare to redirect Ukrainian drones toward Baltic nations.
Georgiy Tikhiy, spokesperson for the Ukrainian foreign ministry, stated that Russia is intentionally manipulating drone paths while intensifying its propaganda efforts. He remarked, “We apologize to Estonia and all our Baltic friends for these unintentional incidents. We are in close cooperation with our specialized agencies to investigate each case and seek ways to prevent them, including direct involvement of our expert groups.”
Tikhiy further clarified that, contrary to Russian propaganda claims, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Finland have never permitted their airspace to be used for attacks against Russia. He asserted that Ukraine has not requested such permissions from the Baltic states.
He reiterated Ukraine’s right to self-defense under Article 51 of the UN Charter, noting that legitimate military targets are located within Russia, necessitating the use of Russian airspace to reach them. Tikhiy stated, “Russians have no right to blame Ukraine, the Baltic states, or Finland for the consequences of their actions and, more broadly, their war of aggression. We are grateful to our partners in Estonia, Finland, Latvia, and Lithuania for their support and solidarity.”
“We apologize to Estonia and all our Baltic friends for these unintentional incidents. We are in close cooperation with our specialized agencies to investigate each case and seek ways to prevent them.”
On the same day, Estonia’s Minister of Defense, Hanno Pevkur, reported that the country’s air defense forces shot down a drone that had entered Estonian territory. The origin of the drone, which was downed over Lake Vorts’jarv in southern Estonia, is still being determined, but it is suspected to be of Ukrainian origin, heading toward targets in Russia.
Drone Incidents in the Baltic Region
Earlier on March 23, a drone, likely originating from Belarus, entered Lithuania and exploded over Lake Lavisas, more than 20 kilometers from the border. Lithuanian radars did not detect it.
The Lithuanian Ministry of Defense speculated that the drone was Ukrainian, diverted from its course due to electronic warfare interference. Subsequently, the Lithuanian Prime Minister confirmed it was indeed a Ukrainian drone, likely one targeting Primorsk near St. Petersburg.
On March 25, an unidentified drone from Russia crashed and exploded in Latvia, discovered by Latvian military personnel. That same night, a drone in Estonia veered off course and crashed into a smoke stack at a power plant in Auvere.
Minister Pevkur stated that the drone incidents in the Baltic states are tied to Russian aggression against Ukraine and are not the fault of Kyiv. He noted that these events occurred amid attacks on Russian ports.
The Ukrainian government has expressed regret to Estonia over a recent drone incident attributed to Russian electronic warfare tactics. Officials emphasize ongoing cooperation to prevent future occurrences while defending Ukraine's right to self-defense.