Russia may use captured Ukrainian UAVs to provoke NATO, says Finnish Defense Minister
Russia may use Ukrainian drones to conduct an operation under a foreign flag against NATO countries. Finnish Defense Minister Antti Gäkkänen said this in an interview with the Finnish newspaper Ilta-Sanomat.
https://www.is.fi/politiikka/art-2000012190107.html
Earlier, the leaders of Poland and the Baltic states said that Russia was planning some kind of sabotage or operation against Latvia, Lithuania or Estonia in order to divert attention from Ukraine and weaken its support.
According to Lithuanian intelligence services, the Russian Federation intends to use Ukrainian drones captured as trophies for a staged attack.
According to Gäkkänen, Finland also does not rule out the possibility that the Russian Federation will try to take some actions that will lead to escalation or provocation. The goal of this will be to weaken the political, economic and military support for Ukraine from its partners, as well as to test NATO for strength.
“We will have to be very vigilant. Even during the Cold War, the KGB in the USSR organized such incredible operations that, unfortunately, anything is possible,” said Gäkkänen.
He noted that in recent years, Ukraine has reasonably transferred some of the fighting to Russian territory. Because of this, Finland has to be wary of a war using UAVs.
“Finns should remain calm. But we have to prepare not only to repel these stray drones, but also for more unusual events,” the minister emphasized.
Russia will be exposed if it carries out an operation under a foreign flag, even if it uses Ukrainian drones, Gäkkänen believes.
In May 2026, the Finnish newspaper Iltalehti reported, citing its own sources, that the Russian Federation was redirecting Ukrainian drones to the Baltic states and Finland.
At least two Ukrainian drones violated Finnish airspace in early May. Similar incidents have also occurred in the Baltic states.