UAV event in Lake Võrtsjärv area, Estonia on Mon 18th May 2026

18th May 2026

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NEW: A NATO Baltic Air Policing jet shot down a stray Ukrainian drone over Estonia's Lake Võrtsjärv on Monday — the first such intercept over Estonian territory.

The UAV likely drifted off course due to Russian electronic warfare jamming.

Estonian Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur said Latvia provided advance warning, enabling early detection.

Baltic states had previously avoided shooting down errant Ukrainian drones to limit escalation.

Contextual analysis

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Country information

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Estonia (EST)

( Lake Võrtsjärv area )

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