NATO forces shot down a drone close to a military base occupied by US forces in Estonia. The Camp Reedo facility is less than 30 miles from the Russian border.
Two drones were spotted and one was shot down. The incident took place on October 17, but was only recently revealed. It comes amid demands for a more robust response to Russian incursions.
“The allies discovered drones flying in the immediate vicinity of the 2nd Infantry Brigade military base on October 17 at 4:30 p.m., one of which was shot down with an anti-drone rifle,” said Liis Vaksmann, a spokesperson for the Estonian Armed Forces Headquarters.
The Estonian military and police searched for the downed drone but were unable to locate it. Last month, three Russian MiG-31 fighters entered Estonian airspace over the Gulf of Finland and stayed there for 12 minutes.
Estonia is potentially NATO’s most vulnerable member and is threatened by a Russian invasion. British troops are also stationed in the country. The Reedo base houses the U.S. Army’s 5th Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment, an armored reconnaissance unit.
Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said NATO must be prepared to intercept and shoot down aircraft that violate sovereign airspace.
“The message must be unequivocal: future violations will prompt a response – including, if necessary, intercepting and shooting down invading aircraft,” Foreign Minister Marcus Tsahkna said.
“This isn’t just about defending Estonia’s borders – it’s about defending NATO’s borders.”
The incident came to light as Ukraine carried out massive attacks on Russia overnight, causing significant damage to oil and petrochemical facilities.
One strike set the ATAN oil depot in Hvardiiske on fire [Gvardeyskoye] in occupied Crimea, where a power plant in Simferopol was also reportedly hit.
The Mari refinery was hit in Yoshkar-Ola, some 1,300 kilometers from the nearest Ukrainian territory.
The NS oil refinery in Novospassk, Ulyanovsk region, was decommissioned as Russia faces crippling gasoline price increases and supply shortages due to an ongoing Ukrainian campaign to bomb oil plants.
The major chemical plant in the metropolis, Stavrolen Enterprise, in Budyonnovsk, Stavropol region, was hit, along with an on-site power plant.
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