Finnish military have identified type of drone that crashed on their territory
On Sunday, March 29, several drones were detected violating airspace in southeastern Finland.
According to Censor.NET, this information is available on the website of the Finnish Air Force.
- According to military officials, the targets were detected at approximately 8:13 a.m. Air defense systems were not deployed to avoid potential risks to the civilian population and infrastructure.
One of the drones was identified as a Ukrainian An-196 "Liut" drone. It crashed south of the city of Kouvola, about 50 kilometers from the Russian border. Law enforcement officers immediately cordoned off the crash site.
What is known about the incident
Finnish military officials clarified that, during surveillance, some of the objects might initially have been mistaken for flocks of birds. At the same time, it has been confirmed that at least two drones crashed within the country’s territory.
The Finnish Ministry of Defense reported that the incident occurred near the city of Kouvola. The situation is under control, and the relevant authorities are continuing to monitor it.
The Air Force, in coordination with other defense agencies and government authorities, is maintaining a heightened state of readiness and analyzing the circumstances of the incident.
The government's response and possible reasons
Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo suggested that the drones might be of Ukrainian origin. According to him, this could be linked to Ukraine’s strikes on military targets in Russia’s Leningrad region.
"These drones were likely Ukrainian and linked to attacks on targets in Russia," Orpo said.
At this time, Finnish authorities have not reported any casualties or significant damage. The investigation into the incident is ongoing.
