Suspected Ukrainian drone headed for Russia crashes in Estonia, local police say
Estonia discovered what could be a Ukrainian drone that crashed on Estonian territory after being jammed and diverted by Russia, Estonian public broadcaster ERR reported on Aug. 26.
According to local authorities, the drone was armed with explosives, which detonated, leaving a crater at the crash site in Tartu County in southeastern Estonia. No casualties were reported.
Initial findings suggest the drone may have been intended to strike targets within Russian territory.
The Estonian police say Russian electronic warfare, including GPS jamming, could have diverted the aircraft off course, causing it to stray into Estonian airspace.
The drone could have entered Estonia either from Russia or Latvia. The investigation is still ongoing.
Commenting on the incident, Estonian Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur said that the discovery of the drone debris is a consequence of Russia’s ongoing all-out war against Ukraine, and that Ukraine has a right to defend itself.
Multiple cases of Russian drones crashing on NATO territory — including in the Baltic states — have been reported throughout the full-scale war.
Last week, Polish officials said that a Russian drone crashed in a rural area of eastern Poland. Warsaw described the incident as a deliberate provocation amid international talks about ending the war in Ukraine.
