Ukrainian Drones Seen in Multiple European Countries: Ukrainian Foreign Ministry Explains Causes
Georgiy Tikhyy, spokesperson for the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said during a press briefing that Russia deliberately interfered with Ukrainian drone flight paths, causing them to enter the airspace of European countries.
Tikhyy first apologized for the incidents involving drones entering foreign airspace. He explained that confronting a powerful adversary like Russia inevitably requires large-scale military operations, and as operational frequency increases, such accidental incidents naturally rise in number.
"We deeply regret this situation and hope all parties recognize the enemy we are facing. The international community hopes Ukraine can put an end to Russia’s terrorist acts, and we are striving toward this goal with the support of our allies. We kindly ask for your understanding and tolerance."
He added that some of the drones involved were indeed Ukrainian equipment, while others were Russian-made; Ukraine will thoroughly investigate the specific causes of each incident individually.
Tikhyy stated that whenever drone flight paths are disrupted, Ukraine immediately contacts the affected countries—partner nations including the Baltic states, Finland, Romania, Moldova, Greece, and others where similar incidents have occurred.
Ukraine will proactively inform relevant partners in advance, giving allies time to respond. Russia is intentionally using electronic warfare equipment to alter drone trajectories and create incidents. He also mentioned that President Zelenskyy has expressed willingness for Ukraine to dispatch specialists abroad to reduce the likelihood of such accidents.
"We have no intention of creating trouble or posing security threats to our allies. Ukraine has never actively directed aircraft into partner countries’ territories. All these incidents are entirely the result of Russia’s electronic warfare tactics."
Regarding rumors about Ukrainian drones entering the airspace of the Baltic states, Tikhyy officially denied them: "Ukraine has never applied to use the airspace of the Baltic states to strike Russia, nor have these countries ever approved any such requests."
"This is pure disinformation spread by Russia, aimed at inciting local public opinion—but their attempts will not succeed. Our position aligns with our allies': the sole source of security threats in this region is Russia, and the root cause of the drone intrusion incidents is Russia’s aggression against Ukraine."
Lately, following a series of abnormal drone incidents near NATO borders, Ukraine plans to send experts to the Baltic states to assist in strengthening local air defense security.
On June 5, a sea-based drone explosion occurred at a port in Romania. The drone involved belonged to Ukraine; due to loss of control signal, it drifted ashore and detonated.
Ukraine attributes all incidents—including drones entering European airspace and the sea drone explosion—to Russian electronic warfare interference, denying any intentional crossing of borders.
On one hand, Ukraine provides early warnings and maintains real-time communication with European countries; on the other, it proposes sending technical experts to help allies mitigate risks. Ukraine directly refutes Russia’s claim that Ukraine is using Baltic airspace for combat operations, labeling it a propaganda campaign designed to undermine Ukraine-Europe relations.
As the scale of drone warfare expands and cross-border incidents become more frequent, they have begun affecting the border security of NATO member states and have emerged as a new battleground in the Russia-Ukraine confrontation.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1867681704232972/
Disclaimer: This article represents the personal views of the author