Ukraine has issued an apology after two of its drones crashed in southern Finland, raising concerns over airspace safety amid ongoing regional tensions.
According to Ukraine, the drones were not intentionally directed toward Finland but were likely diverted due to external interference.
Ukrainian officials confirmed that the drones went off course over the weekend and crashed near the city of Kouvola.
One drone landed north of the city, while another fell to the east, prompting a response from Finnish authorities.
In reaction, Finland deployed an F/A-18 Hornet fighter jet to carry out an identification mission.
A spokesperson for Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry, Georgiy Tykhy, said the incident was most likely caused by Russian electronic warfare systems.
He stressed that:
- The drones were not targeting Finland
- The incident was unintentional
- Ukraine has formally apologised to Finnish authorities
The incident comes amid escalating drone warfare between Ukraine and Russia.
Moscow has been launching large-scale drone attacks on Ukraine, while Kyiv has stepped up retaliatory strikes, including targeting infrastructure near the Gulf of Finland.
Notably, Ukraine recently struck port facilities along Russia’s coast in the same region.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he had discussed the situation with Finnish President Alexander Stubb.
Both leaders agreed on the need for transparency and information sharing following the incident.
While no damage or casualties were reported, the drone crashes highlight the growing risk of spillover from the Ukraine-Russia conflict into neighbouring countries.
The incident underscores the importance of airspace security in an increasingly volatile region.
