Finnish Defense Minister Antti Hykkänen stated that Finnish military forces were prepared to shoot down Ukrainian drones heading towards St. Petersburg on June 3, if they violated the country's airspace.
According to the Finnish publication Ilta-Sanomat, in response to the drone attack, the authorities in Finland implemented additional security measures and put defense forces on heightened alert.
"As a result, certain restrictions were imposed on air and sea traffic in the Porvoo and Lappeenranta areas, and our forces were on combat readiness," noted the head of the defense ministry.
According to Hykkänen, Finnish intelligence received information in advance about the impending attack, which allowed the military to prepare an action plan in case of a potential violation of the state border.
"We do not disclose details about the intelligence system used, but we were able to assess the situation in advance and ensure the necessary level of readiness overnight," emphasized the minister.
He also noted that Finland was closely monitoring the developments and was ready to respond promptly to any threats to its airspace.
In recent months, the authorities of the country have repeatedly reported instances of Ukrainian drones appearing near Finnish territory. According to Helsinki, at least three drones carried unexploded munitions.
Earlier, Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo raised the issue of the inadmissibility of such incidents during a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
"I emphasized that Finland supports Ukraine and understands the necessity of its self-defense. However, violations of Finnish airspace and the entry of drones into it are unacceptable," said Orpo.
Statements from Finnish authorities indicate that Helsinki intends to respond firmly to any violations of its airspace, regardless of the source of the threat. At the same time, Finland emphasizes that support for Ukraine does not mean a willingness to accept risks to its own security.
