Arabic version: طائرة مقاتلة تابعة للناتو تسقط طائرة مسيرة فوق أراضي إستونيا

Estonia has reported that a NATO fighter jet shot down a drone over its territory, which officials suspect was a Ukrainian projectile that had been diverted off course by Russian electronic jamming. According to BBC News, the incident occurred when a Romanian F-16 fired a missile, causing drone debris to fall in a marshy area in central Estonia. Fortunately, no damage was reported.

Ukrainian officials have accused Russia of deliberately redirecting their drones, which were aimed at legitimate military targets in Russia. They expressed regret to Estonia and other Baltic nations for the unintended incident. This drone downing follows a series of similar incursions over NATO member states, including Latvia and Lithuania, where tensions have been heightened by ongoing conflicts.

Estonia’s Defence Minister Hanno Pevkur stated that the drone was tracked from Latvia before it entered Estonian airspace. He emphasized that Estonia had not granted permission for any unauthorized use of its airspace. The drone was shot down shortly after 12:00 local time (09:00 GMT), falling approximately 30 meters from the nearest residential building.

In response to the incident, Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Heorhii Tykhyi reiterated accusations against Russia for manipulating drone operations. He apologized to Estonia and the Baltic states, asserting that Ukrainian drones were not intended to target these nations. Meanwhile, Latvia has recently faced political ramifications over similar drone incidents, leading to the resignation of its Prime Minister.

The situation continues to escalate as the Baltic states remain vigilant against potential provocations from Moscow, which has accused them of facilitating Ukrainian strikes against Russian targets. Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania have denied these claims, asserting their commitment to NATO and regional security.