Drone from Russia Hits Estonian Power Plant Chimney Amid Regional Tensions

A drone that entered Estonian airspace from Russia struck the chimney of the Auvere power plant in Ida-Viru County at 3:43 a.m. on March 25, 2026, causing no injuries and no significant damage to the facility's electrical infrastructure. The Estonian Internal Security Service confirmed the incident in a statement, noting that the drone entered the country's airspace from Russian airspace. The Auvere plant, operated by energy company Enefit Power, is situated in northeastern Estonia near the city of Narva, on the border with Russia. Enefit Power stated the plant sustained no damage and that the incident was unlikely to have a significant impact on Estonia's electricity system. Estonian authorities did not specify whether the drone was Russian or Ukrainian in origin, but noted that Ukraine had carried out numerous strikes on Russian targets during the night, including against the port of Ust-Luga in the Gulf of Finland, which borders the Estonian coast.

Prosecutor General says drone not aimed at Estonia Prosecutor General Astrid Asi said in a press release that preliminary information indicated the drone was not intentionally directed at the Auvere power plant or at Estonia in general. „According to current information, the drone was not directed at Estonia. A preliminary investigation is underway to clarify more specific circumstances.” — Astrid Asi via Adnkronos The investigation has been entrusted to the ISS and is supervised by the Prosecutor's Office. The Ida-Viru County location of the plant places it just across the Narva River from Russian territory, making it particularly exposed to any stray munitions or drones operating in the border zone. The Rescue Board was also involved in the response to the incident, according to the Prosecutor General's press release. Justice and Digital Affairs Minister Liisa-Ly Pakosta announced an extraordinary government meeting to discuss national security in the wake of the strike.

ISS chief warns similar incidents will recur Margo Palloson, Director General of the ISS, framed the incident as a direct consequence of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. „These are the consequences of the large-scale aggressive war being waged by Russia. We can assume that we will witness other similar incidents.” — Margo Palloson via Adnkronos Palloson said he had previously feared the occurrence of incidents of this type. The Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, which has been ongoing for more than four years, has seen drones repeatedly sighted in the airspace of European NATO member states, including at airports and near military facilities in Germany, Poland, the Baltic states, and Romania. Russia and Estonia share a border of just under 300 kilometers, which forms part of NATO's external border. According to Ukrainian military information cited in reporting, Russian forces attacked Ukraine during the same night with a total of 147 combat drones, of which 121 were shot down or neutralized by electronic air defense, with impacts recorded at 18 locations across Ukraine.

Latvia also reports drone crash from Russian direction Latvian authorities reported on the same day that a drone coming from Russia had also crashed on Latvian territory, according to the Latvian National Armed Forces. Debris from the drone was found at the scene, and no further threat to the safety of civilians or Latvian airspace was identified, according to web search results citing Latvian reporting. No injuries were reported in the Latvian incident. The near-simultaneous incidents in two Baltic NATO states underscored the exposure of the region to stray munitions and drones operating in the context of large-scale Ukrainian strikes on Russian territory. Drones and military aircraft from Russia have repeatedly entered the airspace of NATO member states along the alliance's eastern flank since the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022. Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania have been among the countries most frequently affected by such incursions, given their direct land borders with Russia or its ally Belarus. The Baltic states have consistently called for stronger NATO air defense measures in response to these incidents. Estonia joined NATO in 2004, and its eastern border with Russia runs along the Narva River for a significant portion of its length. The Estonian government's emergency security meeting, convened by Justice and Digital Affairs Minister Liisa-Ly Pakosta, was set to address the broader national security implications of the drone strike and the pattern of incidents it represents.