Finland has reported a suspected violation of its airspace by unmanned aerial vehicles in the southeast of the country, with authorities suggesting the incident may be linked to ongoing Ukrainian drone attacks targeting Russia.
The Finnish defence ministry said several small, slow-moving objects flying at low altitude were detected on Sunday morning over a maritime area and parts of southeastern Finland. In response, the Finnish Air Force deployed fighter jets to identify the objects.b
Prime Minister Petteri Orpo indicated that the drones were likely connected to Ukraine’s recent strikes on Russian infrastructure. He noted that Russia’s strong electronic jamming capabilities could have caused the drones to drift off course into Finnish airspace, describing the situation as “a very serious issue.”
According to the Finnish Air Force, one of the objects was identified as a Ukrainian AN196 drone. A pilot refrained from opening fire to avoid potential collateral damage. The drone later crashed north of the town of Kouvola in eastern Finland, while another drone also came down in the same region.
The incident comes amid a broader pattern observed across the Baltic region. Neighbouring countries Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania reported last week that several Ukrainian drones had crashed on their territory after veering off course during attacks on Russian oil export facilities along the Baltic Sea coast.
Ukraine has intensified its drone campaign against Russian oil refineries and export routes in recent weeks, aiming to weaken Russia’s war economy. The escalation comes as peace negotiations, brokered by the United States, have stalled.
This month alone, Ukraine has struck major Russian oil ports including Novorossiysk, Primorsk and Ust-Luga, all key hubs for oil exports.
Finnish authorities continue to assess the situation, as concerns grow over the unintended spillover of the conflict into neighbouring countries’ airspace.
Melissa Enoch
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