Finland investigates drones that crashed in its airspace Sunday

Finland’s Defence Forces are investigating why two drones entered its airspace before crashing in the country’s southeast on Sunday morning.

The Air Force conducted identification operations with an F/A-18 Hornet fighter jet after detecting several small, slow-moving objects flying at low altitude, the defence ministry said in an e-mailed statement. One drone crashed north of Kouvola, and another fell east of the city, it said.

“We are taking this matter very seriously,” Defence Minister Antti Hakkanen said. “Security authorities have responded immediately. The investigation into the events is ongoing, and further details will be provided once the information has been verified.”

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It’s the first incidence of drones straying into Finnish airspace since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine four years ago. Finland, which shares a 1,300-kilometre (800-mile) border with Russia, has intensified surveillance in the Gulf of Finland since Ukrainian drones struck Russia’s Primorsk oil port in the Baltic Sea last week.

Sunday’s drones are “most likely Ukraine’s”, but the matter is under investigation, Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo said, according to public broadcaster YLE.

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