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 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, some 25km (15 miles) away 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. Baltic air patrols were activated, and Estonians received notifications on their phones warning of a drone threat.
Estonia's security police chief, Margo Palloson, mentioned that it was a Ukrainian drone that deviated from its course, possibly affected in Russian airspace. Latvian Prime Minister Edgars Rinkevics confirmed the drone that hit Latvia was indeed Ukrainian.
The drone's erratic course is attributed to possible electromagnetic interference, according to Latvian Deputy Chief of the Joint Staff, Egils Lescinskis, leading to concerns regarding the safety of local residents amidst ongoing military conflicts.
While both governments are on heightened alert, the situation is compounded by a similar occurrence in Lithuania, prompting discussions about air space security among the Baltic states. Ust-Luga, being a major oil export terminal, experienced a fire due to the Ukrainian attack, which was eventually contained.
These incidents highlight the potential for unintended escalation in a region already fraught with tension.
One 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, some 25km (15 miles) away 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. Baltic air patrols were activated, and Estonians received notifications on their phones warning of a drone threat.
Estonia's security police chief, Margo Palloson, mentioned that it was a Ukrainian drone that deviated from its course, possibly affected in Russian airspace. Latvian Prime Minister Edgars Rinkevics confirmed the drone that hit Latvia was indeed Ukrainian.
The drone's erratic course is attributed to possible electromagnetic interference, according to Latvian Deputy Chief of the Joint Staff, Egils Lescinskis, leading to concerns regarding the safety of local residents amidst ongoing military conflicts.
While both governments are on heightened alert, the situation is compounded by a similar occurrence in Lithuania, prompting discussions about air space security among the Baltic states. Ust-Luga, being a major oil export terminal, experienced a fire due to the Ukrainian attack, which was eventually contained.
These incidents highlight the potential for unintended escalation in a region already fraught with tension.
