Did Putin just attack Estonia? Russian drone crashes into power plant

 As a NATO member bordering Russia, Estonia has repeatedly warned about security threats from its eastern neighbor.

Since the invasion of Ukraine, those fears have intensified. Incidents involving airspace violations, cyber threats and military activity have kept the region on edge.

Now, a new drone incident is raising fresh concerns about how close that tension is getting to open escalation.

Drone incident

A drone entered Estonian airspace during the night and struck a chimney at a power plant in Auvere, according to Ukrinform, citing ERR.

The incident occurred at 03:43 on March 25. No injuries were reported.

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Officials confirmed the drone had crossed from Russian territory before hitting the facility.

Investigation underway

Bomb disposal experts were deployed to the scene, while Estonia’s Internal Security Service opened an investigation under the supervision of the Prosecutor’s Office.

State Prosecutor General Astrid Asi said initial findings suggest Estonia was not the intended target.

“According to current information, the drone was not directed at Estonia. Initial actions are currently being taken, the investigation will clarify the more specific circumstances,” she said.

Wider context

Energy company Enefit Power said the power plant suffered no immediate damage.

Authorities added that the country’s electricity supply remains stable and unaffected.

The incident comes amid increased drone activity linked to the war in Ukraine.

Reports indicate Ukrainian forces targeted Russia’s Ust-Luga port around the same time, with Russian authorities claiming dozens of drones were intercepted in the Leningrad region.

Rising concern

Estonian officials warned similar incidents could happen again.

“These are the effects of Russia’s full-scale war of aggression. We can assume that we will see more such incidents,” said ISS chief Margo Palloson.

The incident highlights growing concerns about unintended escalation beyond Ukraine’s borders.