Estonian foreign minister says Russia deliberately directs Ukrainian drones into NATO airspace

Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna has said Russia is deliberately directing Ukrainian drones into the airspace of NATO countries in an attempt to weaken support for Ukraine.

Source: Tsahkna before the start of a meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Sweden on 22 May, as reported by European Pravda

Details: Tsahkna commented on the growing number of drone incidents in the Baltic states, pointing out that Russia is responsible for them.

Quote: "Because as you see, during the last couple of weeks we have more and more drones coming into our territories, Ukrainian drones, but the [country] responsible for that is Russia. Because Russia is waging an aggressive war against Ukraine, and Russia is guiding these drones to NATO territory."

More details: In this context, Tsahkna praised NATO's air defence on the eastern flank, which managed to shoot down a drone over Estonia on 19 May.

The Estonian foreign minister stressed that Russia is using these incidents for its own purposes, seeking to force allies to put pressure on Ukraine and weaken support for it. He added that Ukraine has the right to strike Russian territory.

Quote: "I want to assure you that Ukraine has all the rights to attack those targets deep in Russia which are supporting this war of aggression against them. So I think that Ukraine is continuing. Of course, they must be more careful. But all the responsibility lies on Russia in this regard."

More details: Tsahkna added that these incidents should serve as an incentive to increase pressure on Russia.

Quote: "Putin is trying to divide Western unity and as well trying to push all of us to put more pressure on Ukraine, stop these attacks – 'deep strike sanctions', as Ukrainians say. So this is the right way to go forward, to put more pressure on Russia."

Background:

• On 21 May, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a conversation with Estonia's Prime Minister Kristen Michal.
• The conversation with Michal took place two days after a Romanian fighter jet shot down a stray Ukrainian drone in Estonian airspace. An air-raid warning was issued in part of the country due to the UAV. This is the first time such a drone has been shot down over Estonian territory.
• Ukraine's Foreign Ministry has apologised to Estonia for the "unintended incidents" involving drones.

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