Drones always pose a threat to the ground, says Estonian Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur.Image: keystone
May 20, 2026, 10:59May 20, 2026, 10:59
Estonia’s Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur has assessed the shooting down of a drone that entered the airspace of the Baltic EU and NATO country as correct and appropriate.
“As always, we weighed up various factors: How great is the danger to inhabited areas? What possible reactions are there? And based on this overall assessment, the decision was made to shoot them down,” Pevkur said in an interview on Estonian television.
The decisive factor in shooting down a drone that was flown in for the first time was the assumption that there would be minimal or no possible collateral damage. “Fortunately, this time there was practically no damage – only a small area of forest was slightly affected,” said Pevkur. The crash occurred a few hundred meters from a residential building.
Minister: Shooting down drones is a case-by-case decision
In Estonia, which borders Russia, NATO fighter jets shot down a drone believed to be Ukrainian on Tuesday that was allegedly aimed at Russian targets and flew into Estonian airspace. According to the Estonian minister, it is still being investigated whether the unmanned aerial vehicle was equipped with explosives.
But every drone carries fuel with it. Therefore, regardless of a warhead, it always posed a threat on the ground, Pevkur said. A possible shooting depends on the risk assessment in the individual case and, above all, on the potential risk to the national territory and the population.
Repeated incidents of misguided Ukrainian drones
Ukraine has been resisting a Russian invasion for more than four years. In the mutual drone war, the aircraft fended off using electronic means also pose a danger to neighboring countries. In recent Ukrainian attacks, misguided drones have repeatedly entered the airspace of the Baltic states and some have crashed. Kyiv had used them to attack targets in northwestern Russia. (nil/sda/dpa)