Baltic States Reject Russian Claims of Airspace Misuse
Translated from Lithuanian, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.
At a glance
- Russia accused the Baltic states of allowing Ukraine to use their airspace for attacks against Russia following several drone incidents.
- Baltic officials categorically rejected these accusations, calling them a disinformation campaign.
- Estonia's Defense Minister stated that Ukraine had not requested to use their airspace and blamed Moscow for any drone incidents.
Russia's attempts to manipulate the narrative surrounding recent drone incidents have been met with a firm rebuff from the Baltic states. Following a series of alleged airspace violations, Moscow has baselessly accused Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania of enabling Ukrainian attacks on Russian territory. This blatant disinformation campaign, aimed at deflecting from Russia's own military failures, has been unequivocally condemned by the governments of the three nations.
Ukraine never asked to use our airspace.
In a joint statement, the Baltic officials declared their categorical rejection of Russia's fabricated accusations. They highlighted that Moscow is shamelessly using these incidents to mask its own military setbacks. This stance underscores the Baltic states' commitment to truth and their refusal to be drawn into Russia's propaganda war.
It's not true.
Estonian Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur directly addressed the claims, stating unequivocally to Politico, "It's not true." He confirmed that "Ukraine never asked to use our airspace." While Estonia has urged Ukraine to exercise caution in its attacks against Russia, Pevkur placed the blame for any drone-related incidents squarely on Moscow. This response reflects a clear-eyed assessment of the situation, distinguishing between Ukraine's defensive actions and Russia's aggressive provocations.
They categorically reject Russia's obvious disinformation campaign and its fabricated accusations after airspace violations, which Russia shamelessly uses to cover up its military failures.
Originally published by Delfi in Lithuanian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.