Finland Shoots Down Drones: Firing Toward Russia is Prohibited

Finnish pilots are authorized to shoot down drones over Finnish territory, but they are prohibited from firing in the direction of Russia.

This was reported by YLE.

Concerns about the effectiveness of drone detection intensified after an incident in which a Ukrainian drone, jammed by Russian electronic warfare systems, flew into Finnish territory and crashed onto the ice of Lake Pyhäjärvi in Karelia. Its movements could not be accurately tracked.

The Finnish Armed Forces announced a tightening of airspace control. In addition to the stationary radar network, mobile short-range radars are currently being actively deployed, particularly in the southeastern regions of the country.

Drones can be shot down by fighter jets, but the decision-making procedure is strictly regulated.

First, the target must be identified as an unmanned aerial vehicle, after which the risk of a crash is assessed—a drone cannot be shot down if doing so could cause harm, particularly over populated areas.

It is specifically emphasized that firing missiles toward Russia is strictly prohibited, as this is considered a serious factor in escalation.

Earlier, on March 30, it was reported that Russian electronic warfare systems deflected a Ukrainian drone into Finnish airspace.

The Finnish side reacted to the incident with understanding. Both sides believe that the root cause of the incident is Russian aggression against Ukraine, which is creating new security challenges for the entire region.

On the morning of March 29, the Finnish Air Force scrambled two F-18C Hornet fighter jets due to the approach of several objects toward the country’s territorial waters.

It later emerged that one drone crashed north of the city of Kouvola, and another to the east of it.

Police reported that no one was injured as a result of the incident, and the crash sites were cordoned off for investigation.

The Air Force clarified that pilots visually identified one of the objects as a Ukrainian AN-196 drone south of Kouvola.

The fighter jets did not open fire to avoid potential collateral damage on the ground. The crash of another drone near the city of Espoo has also been confirmed.