Estonian Armed Forces (EDF) Colonel Uku Arold told that Ukraine carried out attacks on Russian ports on the Baltic Sea coast on the night from the 30th of March to the 31st of March, and several drones have likely deviated from their course, writes ERR News.
Arold explained that the warning to the population, which was in effect until the early morning of the 31st of March, was sent out because Moscow’s brutal military operations in Ukraine have made the war spread to the entire territory of Russia, including the Leningrad region, which borders Estonia. There, the hostilities have now reached an intensity not seen since the end of World War II. Ukrainian forces are attacking Russian military infrastructure and facilities involved in financing the war, including oil refineries and ports.
Arold also confirmed that the drones’ entry into Estonian airspace was recorded by both radar systems and fighter jets. No drones were shot down in Estonian territory. Drone attacks usually occur at night, as it is more difficult for the enemy, in this case Russia, to notice and shoot them down. The EDF representative added that if potential threats are observed again near the Estonian borders, an air alert will be issued again.
The alert issued at night covered most of the country,
reflecting the dynamics of the threat – several objects entered Estonian airspace at different locations at the same time, and they were moving. There were more than three objects under the declared warnings, but a specific number cannot be given, as this is not publicly available information.
At night, Estonian residents could hear fighter jets taking off from the Amari Air Force Base. Arold called the sound made by the fighter jets a “whisper of freedom” – he told that the fighter jets are in Estonia to protect people.
ERR News reported that the Estonian Police and Border Guard Board (PPA) is investigating three possible locations where drones may have crashed, and debris from a drone has been found in Tartu County, about 20 kilometers from Tartu. The PBA has received 49 reports in the past 24 hours, and all of them are being investigated.
Urmas Solovyov, the operational commander of the PPA’s Southern Prefecture, said that one drone crash site has been identified, but considering that they have been heard and seen throughout the country, it is possible that another one has crashed.
Read also: Mysterious object near Latvia’s border – answers still pending