Finland deployed fighter jets after unknown drones spotted near Russian border
Finland scrambled fighter jets to search for unidentified drones (photo: Getty Images)
The military and police searched for unidentified drones near the Russian border. F-18 fighter jets were even deployed during the operation, according to Yle.
The report states that Finland's armed forces and police searched overnight for a drone in Kuukanniemi, in the municipality of Lemi, located about 30 kilometers from the Russian border.
An eyewitness said a helicopter flying slowly and at low altitude scanned the area with a spotlight before landing on a sandy field in Kuukanniemi. The Finnish Defense Forces confirmed they had conducted a nighttime mission in the area.
Police also noted that authorities have recently received numerous reports of drones and suspicious individuals. Officers routinely travel to the scene to verify such reports, and this has now become part of their regular duties.
In addition, F/A-18 fighter jets were spotted in southeastern Finland and the Pirkanmaa region, carrying out enhanced airspace surveillance near the border.
Unidentified drones in Finland
Earlier, on May 3, an unidentified drone violated Finnish airspace near the Russian border. The drone was detected over the municipality of Virolahti, which borders Russia's Leningrad region.
Authorities were unable to determine the type or origin of the aircraft. It later left Finnish airspace. Additional unidentified drones were later reported in the country's airspace.
Later, reports emerged that Finland chose not to intercept the drones that violated its airspace because they were flying too close to the Russian border.
