Russian drone enters Estonia and hits power station, ERR reports

A drone has flown into Estonian airspace from Russia. It happened early on Wednesday morning and slammed into a chimney at a local power station, the Baltic country's Internal Security Service told public broadcaster ERR.

There were no reports of injuries or damage to the power station, Estonian authorities said.

Two drones also crossed into Latvia's airspace, one from Russia and the second from Belarus, Latvian authorities said.

It was not immediately clear where the drones originated from.

The incidents occurred at about the same time that a Ukrainian drone attack set fire to oil facilities at Russia's Baltic Sea port of Ust-Luga, a major petroleum export hub about 25 km (15 miles) from the border with Estonia.

• Russian missile and drone attack kills three in Ukraine as Moscow goes on high alert

Other drone incidents

Previously, a Russian fighter jet violated neighbouring Estonia's airspace last Wednesday (18 March), triggering a response from NATO's Baltic Air Policing, Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said.

It was the first time this year that a Russian aircraft had violated Estonian airspace, the foreign ministry said.

The violation occurred near Vaindloo Island in the Gulf of Finland, off Estonia's northern coast, where a Russian SU-30 fighter aircraft entered Estonian airspace and remained for around one minute, Tsahkna said on Thursday.

"There was no threat to Estonia's security," he added.

NATO's Baltic Air Policing mission responded swiftly, deploying Italian Air Force units, according to Tsahkna.

In September last year, Estonia said three Russian military jets violated the Baltic country's airspace for 12 minutes in an "unprecedentedly brazen" incursion, while Russia's Defence Ministry rejected the claim as false.

Estonia summoned the acting head of the Russian diplomatic mission in Tallinn in protest at the incident, the foreign ministry said.

The Russian embassy in Estonia did not immediately respond to a request for comment when contacted by Reuters via phone and email.

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