Unexpected Stray Drones: Estonia and Latvia Report Damage from Ukraine

Wed Mar 25 2026 16:00:44 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Ukrainian drones accidentally veered into Estonia and Latvia causing minor damage, raising concerns amid ongoing military operations in the region.

Overnight, stray Ukrainian drones breached Estonian and Latvian airspace, resulting in minor damages, including a hit on a power plant chimney in Estonia. Authorities confirmed safety alerts were sent to local residents as drones impacted infrastructure while a larger Ukrainian drone assault targeted a Russian port nearby. Although no injuries were reported, officials warned that such incidents may increase as tensions continue in the region.

Ukrainian drones entered Estonian and Latvian air spaces from Russia overnight, with one hitting infrastructure and another crashing on land, Tallinn and Riga have said.

One drone struck the chimney of a power plant in Auvere, Estonia, while another exploded in the southern Kraslava region of Latvia. No major damage or injuries were reported.

The incident occurred around the same time as Ukraine launched a massive drone attack on the Russian port of Ust-Luga, located just 25km (15 miles) away from the Estonian border.

Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal indicated that Ust-Luga was impacted in three waves between 03:00 and 08:00 local time. Baltic air patrols were activated, and notifications warning of a drone threat were sent to Estonian citizens.

The country's security police chief, Margo Palloson, noted that it was a Ukrainian drone that deviated from its course, which was possibly affected in Russian airspace.

Latvian Prime Minister Edgars Rinkevics also confirmed that the drone impacting Latvia was Ukrainian, prompting Defence Minister Andris Spruds to cut short a visit to Ukraine.

Deputy Chief of Latvia’s Joint Staff, Egils Lescinskis, suggested that the drone may have deviated or faced electromagnetic interference, stating that such occurrences can happen when jamming technology disrupts GPS signals.

Lescinskis also acknowledged local safety concerns, admitting that residents cannot feel completely secure amidst military operations in neighboring countries.

Both leaders refrained from blaming Ukraine for the incident, cautioning that the drone activity reflects ongoing regional tensions instigated by Russia's aggressive actions. Palloson anticipated that similar incidents could occur in the future, stressing that establishing a strategic barrier at the border with Russia might not be feasible.

A similar occurrence was reported in Lithuania when a Ukrainian drone crashed near the Belarusian border. Lithuania is now set to discuss these events with Ukraine, emphasizing the importance of airspace security in the region.

Meanwhile, Ukraine has broadened its offensive, utilizing nearly 400 drones in operations aimed at multiple Russian territories, while Russia retaliated with its largest 24-hour drone assault on Ukraine, launching 948 drones that resulted in numerous casualties.