Two drones entered Finnish airspace and crashed near the town of Kouvola in southeastern Finland. The Ministry of Defence confirmed the incident, with one drone landing north of the town and the other to the east. Finnish Air Force F/A-18 Hornets were in the area at the time, but they were on a reconnaissance mission and did not engage the drones.
Police have cordoned off both crash sites for investigation. Prime Minister Petteri Orpo stated that no force was used against the drones. Defence Minister Antti Hakkanen emphasized the seriousness of the incident and mentioned that the investigation is ongoing. Authorities are working to gather more information and provide updates as the investigation progresses.
Local reports indicated that a resident alerted the police after observing an object falling into a nearby forest. The police are actively determining the origin of the drones. Prime Minister Orpo suggested in a radio interview that the drones might be of Ukrainian origin, possibly affected by Russian electronic interference. He highlighted the importance of Finland enhancing its readiness to address drone-related issues.
Recent incidents involving drones have been reported in neighboring countries. Estonia’s internal security ISS reported that one drone hit the chimney of the Auvere power plant in Estonia, while another fell in Latvian territory. Latvia also experienced a drone entering its airspace from Russia, with no casualties reported. These incidents underscore the growing concerns surrounding drone activities in the region.
