Incidents of Stray Ukrainian Drones in Estonia and Latvia Raise Alarms

Wed Mar 25 2026 15:46:36 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Ukrainian drones have inadvertently crossed into the airspaces of Estonia and Latvia, causing minor damages to infrastructure but raising security concerns amidst ongoing military operations in the region.

Ukrainian drones entered Estonian and Latvian airspaces from Russia, resulting in minor damage to a power plant in Auvere and an explosion in Kraslava, Latvia. Authorities noted that these incidents occurred concurrently with Ukraine's extensive drone attacks on Russian targets. While no injuries were reported, both Estonian and Latvian officials are increasing airspace security measures to prevent future occurrences.

Ukrainian drones entered Estonian and Latvian air spaces from Russia overnight, with one hitting infrastructure and another crashing on land, according to authorities in Tallinn and Riga.

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

The drone activity coincided with a significant drone attack launched by Ukraine on the Russian port of Ust-Luga, located approximately 25 kilometers 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, prompting Baltic air patrols and alerts to the populace regarding a 'drone threat.'

Margo Palloson, head of the Estonian security police, indicated that the drone that struck the chimney may have deviated from its path due to interference while operating in Russian airspace. Latvian Prime Minister Edgars Rinkevics confirmed that the drone causing damage in Latvia was also of Ukrainian origin.

Latvian Defence Minister Andris Spruds returned from a visit to Ukraine in response to the incident. Additionally, Egils Lescinskis, the Latvian deputy chief of the Joint Staff, suggested that the drone likely veered off course due to electromagnetic interference aimed at protecting critical infrastructure.

Lescinskis further noted that local residents cannot feel completely safe as long as military operations continue in neighboring countries. He refrained from placing blame on Ukraine, attributing the incident to the 'effects of Russia's full-scale war of aggression.'

The recent drone incursions in Estonia and Latvia echo a similar occurrence in Lithuania earlier in the week, where a Ukrainian drone crashed near the Belarusian border. Lithuanian authorities acknowledged the drone was part of operations targeting Russia, affirming the need for coordinated airspace security among neighboring countries.

Ust-Luga, a key oil export terminal, was reported to have sustained a fire from the attack, which has since been controlled. Meanwhile, Ukraine continues to conduct drone strikes against Russian energy assets, with nearly 400 drones launched overnight toward various Russian regions.

Amidst these operations, Russia retaliated with its largest assault on Ukraine, deploying 948 drones that reportedly resulted in casualties.