Finland is bolstering its air defense along the border with Russia due to Ukrainian drones

The Finnish Armed Forces have begun deploying additional radar systems in the southeastern part of the country to quickly detect foreign drones. 

According to Yle, on April 2, 2026, the country’s Air Force announced an intensification of airspace monitoring and an increase in the number of fighter jet patrol flights. The decision was made amid regular attacks by Ukrainian strike UAVs on Russian ports near St. Petersburg, during which some drones "went off course" and flew into Finnish territory.

In particular, new radars were deployed at strategic elevations near the city of Kouvola—the very location where downed drones had previously been recorded. Military command has not disclosed the exact number or types of radars, but notes that the equipment allows for precise determination of targets’ altitude, speed, and direction of movement. In addition to its own capabilities, Finland receives data from patrol aircraft of other NATO allies operating in the Baltic region to deter potential threats from Russia.

Army representatives emphasize that the heightened alert status will remain in effect as long as Ukraine’s strikes on Russian port infrastructure in the Gulf of Finland continue. The main goal of the heightened measures is to prevent unauthorized aircraft from flying over the country’s territory and to ensure the safety of civil aviation. Currently, the situation at the border remains under constant monitoring by the Finnish military, which is coordinating its actions with international partners to minimize the risk of escalation in the region.

Two drones, likely belonging to Ukraine, crashed on Finnish territory.

Finnish police reported the crash of another unidentified drone on Sunday, March 29. The incident occurred on sea ice near Mellsteninranta in the city of Espoo, in the Western Uusimaa region.

Ukrainian drones were in no way directed toward Finland, the Foreign Ministry stated. Kyiv has already provided the Finnish side with all necessary information to clarify the circumstances of the UAV crash and apologized for the incident. This was reported by Georgiy Tykhyi, spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine.