Ukraine’s operations in the St. Petersburg region continued also on the night between Monday and Tuesday. The activities of the Finnish Air Force, Army and Navy are visible to the citizens. Currently there is no immediate military threat directed against Finland.
Ukraine launched operations more extensive than before against Russian targets in the eastern part of the Gulf of Finland on the night between Sunday 22 March and Monday 23 March. The strikes and Russian air defence measures have been continuing ever since and the latest operation was ongoing last night. All this time, the Finnish Defence Forces has remained in increased readiness due to the eventuality of drones straying into Finland.
On Sunday 29 March, drones strayed into Finnish airspace for the first time. At 08.13 a.m, slow-moving objects presumed to be drones were approaching the limit of Finnish territorial waters southeast of Kotka. Air Force fighter jets and a Navy readiness vessel were there conducting surveillance and safeguarding the airspace.
The Air Force identified visually the first drone that entered Finnish airspace and followed it at visual range. The option of shooting it down was assessed against risks posed to the local people. The drone crashed on the ground north of Kouvola. Police cordoned off the area. According to a preliminary estimation by authorities, the drone that fell to the ground north of Kouvola was still carrying an unexploded warhead, due to which the drone was disabled by detonating it under controlled circumstances on Sunday evening.
The Defence Forces also tracked the other drone that had fallen to the ground east of Kouvola by air surveillance radar. A massive migration of birds going on in the same area and at the same altitude as drones makes is difficult to track slow-flying devices accurately. No visual detection of this drone was acquired. The drone came down east of Kouvola in an area where radar tracking did not work. Police communicated on Sunday that the drone had come down in the area of Luumäki. Around the spot where the drone had crashed, parts of the drone spread on the ground have been found, and looking for more parts has continued by authorities working together.
Procedure in peacetime if a drone is detected entering the airspace
A fixed radar network conducts surveillance of the airspace 24/7 Surveillance by fixed radar is complemented with sensors, including with mobile short-range surveillance radar now that surveillance has been increased.
If an unidentified aircraft, a drone, for example, is approaching Finland’s airspace, the Air Force increases readiness by scrambling a quick reaction alert aircraft to conduct an inspection sortie. The number of aircraft in quick reaction readiness will be increased if necessary to the level required by the situation.
In peacetime, fighter jets are the primary means of intercepting drones. Finland’s air defence covers approximately 1 300 kilometres of land border as well as extensive sea areas. Ground-based air defence systems can be moved, but they can not be placed just anywhere. This is why fighter jets are a central component of air defence capability.
In addition to QRA aircraft, the Defence Forces increased air defence readiness by taking into use Navy vessels equipped with surveillance and air defence capabilities, and Army helicopters.
Anti-drone defence must take the safety of the local population into consideration
The Defence Forces would have had the readiness to shoot down the drone that had fallen near Kouvola, but to avoid collateral damage, fire was not used. A decision to shoot down a drone can be made based on an assessment of whether the situation at hand poses an immediate and serious threat to the safety of the nation. In the situation, the threat posed by the drone must be considered against the risk posed to the local population. From the safety perspective it is clear that in this kind of situation, missile or artillery fire is not used over populated areas.
No immediate military threat is directed against Finland
Ukraine continued its drone strikes against Russia last night, too. So far, no more foreign drones have strayed into Finland.
Information regarding specifics of operational activities, including regulation of readiness or other readiness measures will not be disseminated in detail.
The Defence Forces monitors the airspace closely and we continue to maintain readiness. All military activity especially in our country’s neighbouring areas is always worth keeping track on and, understandably, causes concern. However, no immediate military threat is directed against Finland.
