Ukraine on Monday confirmed it had apologised to Finland after two Ukrainian drones crashed in the country’s southern region over the weekend, suggesting they were likely diverted by Russian electronic interference.
The incident comes amid ongoing hostilities with Russia, which has intensified nightly drone assaults on Ukraine, prompting Kyiv to increasingly launch retaliatory strikes targeting energy and military infrastructure.
“Under no circumstances were any Ukrainian drones directed toward Finland. The most likely cause is interference from Russian electronic warfare systems. We have already apologised to the Finnish side for this incident,” said Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesman Georgiy Tykhy.
According to Finnish authorities, one drone landed north of Kouvola, while another came down east of the city. In response, Finland deployed an F/A-18 Hornet fighter jet on an identification mission.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky later disclosed that he had discussed the situation with Finnish President Alexander Stubb, noting that both leaders shared a common understanding of the incident.
“Alex and I see the situation in the same way. We are sharing all necessary information,” Zelensky said.
The development follows recent Ukrainian strikes on Russian port facilities along the Gulf of Finland, near the border with the NATO and EU member state.