"Radar images from the Air Force showed a possible airspace violation in southeastern Estonia on the afternoon of October 9," Kaju said at the weekly Ministry of Defense press conference on Friday.

"It may have been a smaller object. According to the radar image, the smaller object was in Estonian airspace for 18 minutes and entered within a couple of kilometers. I cannot confirm with 100 percent certainty what it was. But I can confirm that it was not a large combat drone," Kaju said.

Kaju could not confirm whether the activity was intentional or unintentional, and did not want to speculate on what the object might have been.

"We can say that it was a small object. It could have been, for example, some kind of smuggler's drone," he said.

The object was moving in the southeastern region of Estonia, near the border, he added.

Kaju added that the situation will now be analyzed and discussed with allies. "We will speak with our allies and partners, review our procedures, and then provide an assessment."

He added that the incident does not change Estonia's threat assessment in any way.

Taavi Karotamm, the head of the Estonian Defense Forces' (EDF) press department, later on Friday told ERR that an object which may have violated Estonian airspace had come from the direction of Russia, then moved back in that direction, leaving Estonian airspace.

Russia has violated Estonian airspace multiple times this year, with both military jets and helicopters. The most recent was on September 19, when three MiG-31 fighter jets breached Estonia's airspace for 12 minutes.

Editor's note: This article was updated to include a comment from Taavi Karotamm.

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