Ukrainian drones entered Estonian and Latvian air spaces from Russia overnight, with one hitting infrastructure and another crashing on land, Tallinn and Riga have reported.
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 on the Baltic Sea, located about 25km from the Estonian border. Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal stated that Ust-Luga was attacked in three waves between 03:00 and 08:00 local time. In response, air patrols were activated, and citizens received notifications regarding a drone threat.
Estonia’s security police chief, Margo Palloson, noted it was a Ukrainian drone that deviated from its course, potentially due to disruption in Russian airspace. This claim was corroborated by Latvian Prime Minister Edgars Rinkevics.
To address the aftermath, Latvian Defence Minister Andris Spruds returned hastily from Ukraine. Egils Lescinskis, deputy chief of Latvia’s Joint Staff, indicated that the drone likely veered off course due to electromagnetic warfare measures designed to protect critical infrastructure.
Local official reiterated the unpredictable risks tied to military operations in neighboring nations, admitting that residents could not feel completely safe amid such tensions. Meanwhile, Estonia's Prime Minister emphasized that constructing a physical barrier at the Russian border would not solve the issue.
In a similar vein, a Ukrainian attack drone crashed near the Belarusian border in Lithuania the previous week, prompting discussions between Lithuanian authorities and Ukraine.
Ust-Luga, targeted during these attacks, serves as a significant oil export terminal, with local authorities reporting that the triggered fire was controlled swiftly. Ukraine's drone assault on Russia continues, with nearly 400 drones launched towards various Russian regions in a single night. Concurrently, Russia retaliated with extensive drone strikes on Ukraine, marking one of its largest attacks recorded.
