A drone arriving from Russian airspace struck the chimney of the Auvere power plant in north-eastern Estonia in the early hours of Wednesday, in a stark sign of how the war in Ukraine is sending dangerous fallout towards Nato’s frontier.
No one was injured in the incident and Estonia’s electricity system was not damaged, according to the authorities and the energy company Enefit Power that operates the plant.
The Estonian Internal Security Service said the drone hit the plant’s chimney at 3.43am on 25 March. Rescue Board explosive ordnance disposal specialists were sent to the scene, while the Office of the Prosecutor General opened proceedings and the Internal Security Service began an investigation.
Astrid Asi, Estonia’s prosecutor general, said that, based on current information, the drone had not been directed at Estonia.
“Initial procedures are now under way, and the investigation will establish the precise circumstances,” she said in a statement.
The incident came amid reports that Ukraine had launched overnight drone attacks on the Russian port of Ust-Luga in Leningrad Oblast. Estonian officials indicated that the object that struck Auvere was linked to the wider consequences of Russia’s full-scale war of aggression against Ukraine, rather than to any deliberate attempt to target Estonia.
“This is one of the effects of Russia’s full-scale war of aggression. It is reasonable to assume that we will see more incidents of this kind,” said Margo Palloson, director general of the Internal Security Service.
Enefit’s Auvere power plant is in north-eastern Estonia, in Ida-Viru County near Narva, close to the Russian border. Photo: Enefit.
Liisa-Ly Pakosta, Estonia’s justice minister, told the public broadcaster ERR on Wednesday morning that the government would convene for an extraordinary session in response to the security incident.
A public warning
Enefit Power said its preliminary assessment showed no immediate damage to the plant and no significant effect on Estonia’s electricity system.
The Internal Security Service has appealed for anyone who may have seen the drone to come forward with information by email. It also urged the public not to approach the scene or any debris, warning that the wreckage could contain explosive material. Any finds should be reported by calling the emergency number 112.
The official public messaging, however, caused confusion. At 8.43am on Wednesday, the EE-ALARM emergency warning system sent a message to mobile phones across Estonia saying: “Defence Forces: due to Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, there is an associated drone threat in the area. If you see one, take shelter and call 112. More information at KRIIS.EE and 1247.” The alert did not specify which area was under threat. Nor was it clear what exactly people were meant to look out for before taking shelter.
An initial nationwide emergency alert caused confusion by warning of a drone threat without clearly identifying the danger area. Screenshot of the first warning.
A resident of Narva shared a screenshot of an alert received at 8.42am via the Be Prepared app, which was even more stark and advised people to shelter immediately: “Air danger! Take shelter!” The warnings were followed by a surge of anxious calls to both 112 and 1247.
At 9.24am, the Emergency Response Centre said that both the emergency number 112 and the state information line 1247 were experiencing a higher-than-usual volume of calls, meaning callers would have to wait before the first available rescue coordinator or adviser could respond.
At 9.35am, EE-ALARM sent out a second message clarifying the position: “Updated information! The danger areas are Ida-Viru County and Lääne-Viru County. If you see a drone, take shelter and report it to 112.”
Estonian officials also said that a fallen drone had been reported in Latvia, in the village of Dobročina.
Ilmar Raag: the drone should have been shot down
Ilmar Raag. Photo: Ilmar Raag’s official Facebook page.
Commenting on social media, the filmmaker and security commentator Ilmar Raag said there was no cause for panic, but described the incident as a serious warning. He said the most likely explanation was a military accident linked to Ukrainian drone strikes in Leningrad Oblast, with electronic interference causing the aircraft to lose its bearings.
While he said deliberate Russian action could not be entirely ruled out, he argued that Estonia had not in fact been attacked and was not in immediate danger. Even so, he added, such a drone should have been shot down, noting that similar threats had been discussed for years and were likely to recur.
Riho Terras: Estonia’s surveillance systems failed
Riho Terras. Private collection.
Riho Terras, Estonia’s former commander of the Defence Forces and now a Member of the European Parliament for Isamaa, said the situation was serious and should not be dismissed as a mere accident.
“We must respond in the most professional way possible and remain in close contact with our European allies. If this does indeed prove to have been a deliberate attack on our energy infrastructure – something that cannot yet be said, but which must be seriously considered as a possibility – then it is an attack on Nato and the European Union,” he wrote in the social media.
Terras added that Estonia’s surveillance systems had failed. “Drones must be detected before they reach their target. In this case, one struck the power plant’s chimney. Our counter-drone capability is inadequate and needs urgent investment,” he said.
This is a developing story.
