Finland has increased military surveillance in its eastern regions after reported Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian oil ports near the Gulf of Finland, with activity continuing overnight.
Finland’s Defence Forces have increased surveillance and security operations following reported Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian targets near the eastern Gulf of Finland, as incidents continued into Friday morning.
According to Ukrainian outlet The Kyiv Independent, drones struck oil ports at Primorsk and Ust-Luga during the night.
Visual evidence has emerged from Finland. A camera operated by Lappeenranta Energy recorded a red glow on the horizon in the direction of Primorsk during the early hours of Friday. The light intensified over several hours, suggesting an ongoing fire.
Satellite data from NASA’s FIRMS monitoring system also indicated fire activity in both Primorsk and Ust-Luga on Friday morning. Fires from earlier strikes earlier in the week had not yet been fully extinguished at Ust-Luga, according to prior reports.
Ukraine has targeted infrastructure in Russia’s Leningrad region throughout the week, including the oil ports and areas around Vyborg. The scale of the strikes has drawn attention in Finland due to the proximity to its borders.
Finland’s Defence Forces said it has strengthened monitoring of territorial integrity and adjusted readiness levels in response. The military said it maintains a real time operational picture and has prepared to respond to unauthorised unmanned aerial vehicles.
“We monitor events in our nearby region closely together with our allies and have planned our operations so that we safeguard the territorial integrity of our country in all situations,” the Defence Forces said in a statement.
The increased activity has been visible in south eastern Finland and the eastern Gulf of Finland, where Air Force fighter jets and Navy vessels have carried out additional tasks.
Prime Minister Petteri Orpo addressed the developments earlier in the week. “This shows in concrete terms that the war is taking place in our nearby areas and is expanding,” he said on Wednesday.
The Defence Forces said it has the capability to intercept drones entering Finnish airspace, whether intentional or accidental, as part of a layered air defence system. It added that readiness levels are adjusted based on ongoing assessments of military activity in the region.
HT
