Estonia installs first stationary systems to detect drones from the Russian side

Estonian border guards have installed the first stationary devices to detect and monitor drones on the border with Russia. They plan to cover the entire border with Russia with such devices by the end of the year.

This is reported by the Estonian media ERR, citing a press release from the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

The first devices have been installed at three sections of the border — near the point where the borders of Estonia, Russia, and Latvia meet. Where stationary equipment is not yet available, border guards are using new mobile surveillance systems.

The Estonian Ministry of Internal Affairs reports that equipment is currently being purchased for the following sections, and construction work is proceeding according to plan.

Drone crashes in the Baltics

In recent months, drones have increasingly entered the airspace of Northern European countries. For example, on the night of May 7, two drones from Russia entered Latvian airspace. One of the downed drones hit empty tanks at an oil depot in the city of Rezekne.

Latvia subsequently launched an investigation, and Latvian Defense Minister Andris Spruds resigned. He explained that he made the decision to protect the Latvian army from being “drawn into a political campaign”. The country’s Prime Minister Evika Silinė also resigned.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha later stated that the drones that flew into Latvia were Ukrainian. They deviated from their course due to Russian electronic warfare (EW) equipment.

On May 13, President Volodymyr Zelensky reported that Ukraine was sending its experts to Latvia and Lithuania to help protect their airspace.

On May 18, Lithuanian residents discovered the remains of a drone with explosives in a field, which was defused on the spot. The countryʼs Defense Ministry believes that the drone was Ukrainian.

On May 20, Lithuaniaʼs president and prime minister were urgently evacuated to underground bunkers and Vilnius residents were urged to take cover after a drone violated the countryʼs airspace. The Lithuanian Defense Ministry said the drone was spotted near the border with Belarus.

For more news and in-depth stories from Ukraine, please follow us on X.