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Drone Incidents in NATO Airspace Are “Price Worth Paying” for Ukraine Strikes on Russia, Estonian FM Says
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Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna has said that incidents involving Ukrainian drones accidentally entering NATO territory should be seen as a “price worth paying” for strikes on Russian oil refineries and military facilities.
Speaking in an interview with the Financial Times, Tsahkna acknowledged that Estonia, which has experienced several such incidents, is “not happy” about the situation.
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“But we are not saying to Ukraine to stop it. This is hitting the lifeline of [Vladimir] Putin,” he said.
The Estonian foreign minister also addressed Russian claims that Baltic states were directly involved in the strikes or allowed Ukraine to use their airspace for operations. He dismissed the accusations as “ridiculous” and a sign of Kremlin desperation.
“We know that the tone around Putin has changed in the last two and a half months… It’s not so optimistic anymore. The main reason is economic—because of these deep strikes,” Tsahkna said.
He also expressed admiration for Ukraine’s long-range strike campaign against Russian territory, adding that the Kremlin was likely “deeply concerned” about the impact, particularly on energy exports routed through Baltic Sea corridors. According to him, up to 60 percent of Russian oil exports pass through the narrow Gulf of Finland.
The remarks come amid heightened NATO air policing activity in the Baltic region. On June 8, NATO allied fighter jets operating in Latvia shot down a drone that entered the country’s airspace.
According to LSM, Latvia’s military said the drone was intercepted by French fighter jets as part of NATO’s Baltic Air Policing mission.
According to the statement, the drone crossed into Latvian airspace as a result of Russian electronic warfare interference.
On June 6, Ukraine has issued a formal apology to Greece following the discovery of a sea drone near the island of Lefkada, while underscoring that both countries remain concerned about maritime security and Russia’s so-called shadow fleet.
According to a statement by Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi, Kyiv expressed regret over the incident and reaffirmed its adherence to international law and the protection of civilian maritime navigation.
The statement followed several weeks of diplomatic exchanges between Athens and Kyiv concerning the unmanned surface vessel that was found in Greek waters in May.
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