Europe

Finland developing Ukraine-style drone alert app

2 min read
Finland developing Ukraine-style drone alert app
Finnish Border guards in Joensuu at the border with Russia on June 5, 2024 (Jarno Artika / Lehtikuva / AFP via Getty Images) 

Finland is preparing a drone warning system that could be rolled out by late 2027, the Finnish public broadcaster Yle reported on March 31.

The mobile app would be integrated with existing emergency software and modeled on the system Ukraine uses during Russian drone attacks. A separate text-message-based warning system is also under development.

The news comes just a few days after Finland confirmed that two drones crashed on its territory, with at least one identified as Ukrainian.

Kyiv said the drone likely strayed into Finnish territory due to electronic warfare interference and accused Russia of deliberately diverting Ukrainian unmanned aircraft toward Finland or the Baltic countries.

Another unidentified fixed-wing drone was found in eastern Finland near the Russian border on the morning of March 31.

"There is no indication that the drones were sent to Finland deliberately. There is no military threat to Finland. Finns can sleep peacefully," Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo said.

Finland, a NATO member since 2023, shares a 1,340-kilometer (830-mile) border with Russia. Its borders lie about 100 kilometers (60 miles) from the Russian port of Ust-Luga, a major oil and gas hub recently damaged in Ukrainian drone strikes.

Russian drones have also repeatedly intruded in territory of NATO and other countries in Russia's and Ukraine's neighborhood, prompting governments to revise their response protocols and emergency preparedness measures.

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Martin Fornusek

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Martin Fornusek is a reporter for the Kyiv Independent, specializing in international and regional politics, history, and disinformation. Based in Lviv, Martin often reports on international politics, with a focus on analyzing developments related to Ukraine and Russia. His career in journalism began in 2021 after graduating from Masaryk University in Brno, Czechia, earning a Master's degree in Conflict and Democracy Studies. Martin has been invited to speak on Times Radio, France 24, Czech Television, and Radio Free Europe. He speaks English, Czech, and Ukrainian.

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