...
By Ellie Cook
Senior Defense Reporter
0
Share
Newsweek is a Trust Project member
See more of our trusted coverage when you search.Prefer Newsweek on Googleto see more of our trusted coverage when you search.
Multiple drones crossed into NATO member Finland, officials said on Sunday, the latest in a spate of uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV) incidents hitting the alliance's eastern flank.
One drone landed north of the southeastern Finnish city of Kouvola, while another landed east of the area, according to Helsinki's Defense Ministry.
The Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania—all NATO members—said in recent days that several Ukrainian drones had careened into their territory during intensified attacks on Russian oil and gas facilities perched on the Baltic Sea.
Read More on World
Kouvola sits roughly 45 miles west of Russian territory. Ukraine has repeatedly targeted Moscow's fuel export sites in the country's western Leningrad region, which borders Finland, including the major port of Ust-Luga.
Leningrad Governor Alexander Drozdenko said early on Sunday 36 Ukrainian drones had been intercepted over the region and emergency services were putting at a fire at Ust Luga.
...
Finnish officials have not said where the drones came from, nor who launched the UAVs.
Ukraine's military had not commented at the time of writing on Sunday, but Kyiv has vowed to continue targeting Moscow's oil and gas facilities that provide vital funds for its war effort.
"Drones have strayed into Finnish territory. We are taking the matter very seriously," Finnish Defense Minister Antti Häkkänen said in a statement on Sunday.
Authorities described the drones as small, flying low and traveling slowly. Helsinki said the country would release more information as investigations progress.
Ukrainian drones sparked a blaze at the Ust-Luga port on Wednesday, from which Russia ships out crude oil and liquefied natural gas out to the Baltic. The site also handles general cargo and other exports propping up Russia's economy.
During the Ukrainian drone attack earlier this week, one drone hit the chimney of a power plant in eastern Estonia. Another crashed and exploded in neighboring Latvia.
Kyiv said it had attacked the Ust-Luga port area in August 2025.
Ukraine's military separately said it had struck an oil terminal at Primorsk, about 30 miles from Finnish soil, and another refinery east of Moscow early on March 23. A fire broke at Primorsk, which sees roughly 60 million tons of oil each year, Kyiv said.
Kyiv's General Staff said on Saturday it had attacked an oil refinery in the Russian Yaroslavl region, northeast of Moscow. The site has an annual refining capacity of 15 million tons, Ukraine said.
In the same update, the Ukrainian military said fires were still raging from previous attacks at Ust-Luga and Primorsk.
Drozdenko said the Leningrad region has been "on high alert" since March 22, facing "unprecedented" Ukrainian drone assaults.
Update 3/29/2026 at 8:50 a.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional information.
In a polarized era, the center is dismissed as bland. At Newsweek, ours is different: The Courageous Center—it's not "both sides," it's sharp, challenging and alive with ideas. We follow facts, not factions. If that sounds like the kind of journalism you want to see thrive, we need you.
When you become a Newsweek Member, you support a mission to keep the center strong and vibrant. Members enjoy: Ad-free browsing, exclusive content and editor conversations. Help keep the center courageous. Join today.
View 0 Comments
Submit Correction
View Editorial & AI Guidelines