Finland's Defense Ministry announced today an alleged illegal entry of unmanned aerial vehicles into the country's airspace, Reuters reported, quoted by BTA. Defense Minister Antti Häkkinen announced that an investigation has been launched into the case.
The drones were detected in the southeastern part of Finland, the ministry said.
This week, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia reported incidents of drones crashing on their territory, which were subsequently declared by the governments of the Baltic republics to be Ukrainian.
The three countries appealed to NATO to strengthen their air defenses.
The incident in Estonia was over the Gulf of Finland. Lithuania assumed that the drone that fell on the country's territory was involved in a Ukrainian attack on the main Russian fuel export ports on the Baltic Sea - in Primorsk and Ust Luga.
"Drones entered the territory of Finland. "We are taking the case with the appropriate seriousness," Finnish Defense Minister Häkkinen wrote on social media, adding that an investigation has been launched.
"The investigation is ongoing and new information will be provided as soon as the data is verified," Häkkinen was quoted as saying by Agence France-Presse.
Several small objects flying slowly and low were detected this morning over Finnish waters and over the southeastern territory of the province, the defense ministry said. One of the drones in question fell north of Kouvola, and a second - east of that city.
The ministry added that the Finnish Air Force had sent an F/A 18 Hornet fighter jet on a mission to verify the presence of the drones.