Drone found in Finnish forest raises concerns after similar discoveries

A drone discovered in a forest in Iitti, southeastern Finland, on Saturday has surprised and alarmed local residents, according to a report by Finnish public broadcaster Yle. Authorities have cordoned off the area after the drone, described as similar to others previously found in southeastern Finland, was located along with an unexploded combat warhead.

Local residents Vilppu Pirinen and Maksimus Heinola arrived at the scene Saturday afternoon after noticing police cars and an ambulance. “Nothing usually happens here, and then suddenly a drone appears. It’s a bit frightening,” Pirinen said. He added that he did not expect another such incident after similar drones were found in Kouvola, Luumäki, and Parikka in late March.

Nearby joggers Amanda Laari and Jani Nurminen also expressed concern. “It’s worrying—where did it come from, what was its purpose, has it been here for a while or just fallen now? There are a lot of questions,” Laari said. Nurminen noted that he did not expect such a discovery so close to home, calling it surprising if the drone had strayed as far as Iitti, possibly from Ukraine.

Police and defense forces are preparing for a controlled detonation of the warhead.

Tags: drone, finland, security