Ukraine's Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Georgiy Tykhyi on 19 May apologized to Estonia after a Ukrainian strike drone was shot down over Estonian territory — the first such incident on record — stating that Russia is deliberately redirecting Ukrainian UAVs toward Baltic states through electronic countermeasures.
"Moscow is doing this deliberately, combining it with intensified propaganda. We apologize to Estonia and all our Baltic friends for such unintentional incidents," Tykhyi wrote on X.
On Tuesday, 19 May, a Romanian fighter jet shot down what is believed to be a stray Ukrainian strike drone over Estonia, prompting an air alert across part of the country. It marked the first time such an aircraft has been intercepted over Estonian territory.
Kyiv's position
Tykhyi attributed the incident to Russian radio-electronic warfare, saying Kyiv is working with partner agencies — including through direct involvement of Ukrainian expert teams — to establish the facts of each case and identify ways to prevent recurrence.
He also pushed back against what he described as Russian propaganda narratives, stating that none of the Baltic states nor Finland had ever permitted their airspace to be used for strikes against Russia. "Moreover, Ukraine has never requested such use," he added.
In a pointed remark directed at Moscow, the spokesperson said Russians "have no right to blame Ukraine, the Baltic states, or Finland for the consequences of their own actions and their own war."
