Public warning messages about possible air threats were sent to residents in Lääne-Viru and Ida-Viru counties in eastern Estonia at around 3 a.m. on Tuesday morning, and later expanded to Tartu, Jõgeva, Viljandi, Valga, Võru and Põlva counties.

The messages told residents to "seek shelter if you spot a drone."

At 5:58 a.m., Taavi Laasik, head of the EDF's press department, confirmed to ERR that the drone threat warning had been lifted across Estonia. An update on the government's crisis communication website, kriis.ee, said the warning ended at 5.30 a.m.

Previous alerts have been issued when Ukrainian attack drones strayed off course, often due to GPS jamming, when attacking Russia's oil infrastructure on the Baltic coast.

Leningrad Oblast regional Governor Alexander Drozdenko said 38 drones had been destroyed over Leningrad Oblast, which borders Estonia, early on Tuesday morning and confirmed damage at the Port of Ust-Luga.

NATO jets scrambled

On Tuesday morning, residents in eastern Estonia reported hearing fighter jets overhead.

Col. Uku Arold, head of the EDF's Strategic Communications Department, told ERR that drones had breached Estonia's airspace and Turkish Air Force fighter jets stationed at Estonia's Ämari Air Base as part of NATO's rotation air defense mission were scrambled in response.

"There have been drones that moved parallel to Estonia's eastern border and also Latvia's eastern border and entered Estonia, which is why we have also sounded the alarm," Arold said.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Margus Tsahkna (Eesti 200) also said the drones had "entered Estonian airspace."

"NATO reacted swiftly and exactly as planned," he wrote on X. "The Alliance is vigilant and ready to protect Allied territory. Incidents like this are a direct consequence of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine and underline the need to increase pressure on Russia to end its aggression."

An airspace alert was also issued in Latvia's eastern Alūksne district on Tuesday morning, and the Finnish Defense Forces restricted aviation and shipping in the eastern Gulf of Finland in response to possible drones.

Aerial threat – steps for informed action

The government's crisis website says residents need to "be alert!" when a potential aerial threat warning is issued.

"There is a possibility that drones or other dangerous aerial devices may end up in the region but there is no direct danger. For instance, a drone that will probably fly over the region and will not pose a direct threat to the population has strayed into or is entering the Estonian airspace," it says.

More information can be viewed here.

This article was updated to add comments from Minister of Foreign Affairs Margus Tsahkna.

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