Estonia has announced that a NATO fighter jet shot down a drone that it suspects was a Ukrainian projectile knocked off course by Russian electronic jamming. Defence Minister Hanno Pevkur confirmed that a Romanian F-16 fired a missile at the drone, which then crashed in a marshy area in central Estonia, approximately 30 meters from the nearest residential building. No damages were reported in the vicinity.
In response to the incident, Ukraine accused Russia of deliberately redirecting its drones, causing unintended incursions into the territory of NATO allies. Pevkur stated he immediately communicated with his Ukrainian counterpart, who expressed regret over the incident. He emphasized that Estonia had not granted permission for its airspace to be utilized by any nation except its allies.
This incident follows a series of recent drone incursions over the Baltic states, with reports emerging of missiles from Ukrainian drones unintentionally hitting sites in Latvia after being affected by Russian jamming. Concerns continue to rise in the region regarding potential provocations from Moscow amid the ongoing conflict with Ukraine, which began with Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022.
In response to the incident, Ukraine accused Russia of deliberately redirecting its drones, causing unintended incursions into the territory of NATO allies. Pevkur stated he immediately communicated with his Ukrainian counterpart, who expressed regret over the incident. He emphasized that Estonia had not granted permission for its airspace to be utilized by any nation except its allies.
This incident follows a series of recent drone incursions over the Baltic states, with reports emerging of missiles from Ukrainian drones unintentionally hitting sites in Latvia after being affected by Russian jamming. Concerns continue to rise in the region regarding potential provocations from Moscow amid the ongoing conflict with Ukraine, which began with Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022.
