Following a surge of drone incursions during recent Ukrainian counterattacks, the leaders of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania have called for the NATO Air Policing mission to be upgraded to a robust air defense mandate.
Escalation of Drone Incursions
The Baltic states have faced a series of aerial incidents in recent days, largely coinciding with Ukrainian counterattacks against Russian targets near the Gulf of Finland and the Moscow region. Unmanned aerial vehicles have repeatedly entered the airspace of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia, leading to frequent public air raid alerts.
On Tuesday, May 19, a Romanian NATO fighter jet intercepted and downed a drone that violated Estonian airspace. This marked the first time that patrol aircraft have destroyed a foreign drone over the Baltic region, as previous incursions by Ukrainian-origin drones had not resulted in interceptions.
Infrastructure Damage and Political Fallout
Previous incidents in the region caused tangible damage. A drone flying from Russia struck a chimney at an Estonian power plant, while a separate drone hit an empty fuel tank at a Latvian oil depot. The latter incident preceded the resignations of Latvian Defense Minister Andris Spruds and Prime Minister Evika Silina.
Kyiv’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Heorhij Tychyj, stated that Russia is intentionally misdirecting drones toward Baltic nations. He explicitly denied Kremlin propaganda claims, asserting that these countries have never permitted their airspace to be utilized for attacks on Russian territory.
Unified Call for Enhanced NATO Defense
In a joint declaration issued on Thursday, May 21, the presidents of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania emphasized the security of NATO’s eastern flank. They proposed transforming the existing NATO Air Policing mission into an active air defense operation to bolster regional counter-drone capabilities.
The leaders reaffirmed their commitment to NATO responsibilities, categorically rejecting Moscow’s rhetoric. They further stressed the necessity of accelerating joint regional projects, including the Baltic Defense Line and the EU’s Eastern Flank Shield initiative, to strengthen Europe’s eastern border.