Finnish border guard conducts drone defence exercises in Gulf of Finland amid rising threat

The Finnish Border Guard’s Gulf of Finland unit is conducting live-fire exercises with naval artillery to practice drone detection and interception off the coast of Kotka, citing increased threats from unmanned aerial systems, Yle reports.

The drills, which began on Easter Sunday and will continue until Thursday next week, focus on sharpening marksmanship and operational readiness. “We want to rehearse weapon handling and firing procedures so that, when necessary, they can be executed correctly, safely, and effectively,” said Commander Ilja Iljin, deputy head of the Gulf of Finland Border Guard.

Recent incidents have heightened concerns: last Sunday, two Ukrainian-made drones—one equipped with an explosive payload—were found in Kouvola and Luumäki after violating Finnish airspace. On Tuesday, the Border Guard detected another unmanned aircraft on the ice of Lake Pyhäjärvi in Parikkala. Authorities have since intensified surveillance and countermeasures across southeastern Finland, including the ongoing exercises near Kotka.

Live firing will proceed only when visibility permits, Iljin noted. Poor weather, including dense fog, has delayed some phases of the training. “We’ll commence firing as soon as conditions improve and we can fully monitor the warning zone,” he said. The exercise area spans 25 kilometres offshore, bounded by Kaunissaari and Ristisaari to the west and Kirkonmaa and Haapasaari to the east.

Residents in Kotka are unlikely to hear the artillery, though wind direction could carry sound inland. “Under no circumstances will the noise be disruptive,” Iljin assured. Finnish law allows the Border Guard to disable drones—using electronic jamming or force—if they pose a threat to border security or territorial integrity.