Estonia is rolling out a drone monitoring system along its border with Russia
Estonia has begun deploying fixed systems for detecting and monitoring drones along its border with Russia. The first devices have already been installed at three locations along the south-eastern land border, between the point where the borders of Estonia, Latvia and Russia meet, and near the Luhamaa border crossing.
The Estonian Ministry of the Interior has reported that by the end of the year, the entire eastern section of the border is to be fully covered by the monitoring system.
Estonian Minister of the Interior Igor Taro stated that the first systems are already operational and mark the start of the creation of a nationwide drone monitoring network. According to him, the preparatory measures taken are already yielding results.
He also emphasised that the country’s eastern border is well protected, and that developing capabilities for the use and control of drones will contribute to strengthening security in Europe.
On 29 May, Igor Taro visited a section of the eastern border near the so-called Saatsi Boot, a small enclave of Russian territory that juts into Estonian territory near the village of Saatsi. There, he inspected the progress of construction work and the installation of monitoring systems along the Piuza River.
The Estonian Police and Border Guard Board is currently procuring equipment to equip further sections of the border.
In May, a drone that had entered the country’s airspace was shot down over Estonian territory for the first time. Estonian Defence Minister Hanno Pevkur suggested that it could have been a Ukrainian drone that had strayed off course whilst flying towards Russia.
