Estonia's interior minister admits gaps in drone defence

Estonian Interior Minister Igor Taro (Eesti 200) has acknowledged gaps in the country's ability to both detect and neutralise drones, in a written response to a parliamentary question from Riigikogu member Aleksei Yevgrafov (Centre Party).

According to Taro, guarding and defending Estonia's airspace falls under the responsibility of the Defence Forces. The Police and Border Guard Board passes the information it gathers to the military, meaning the minister does not have a complete overview of drones that may have entered Estonian airspace.

"There are gaps — both in detection and in neutralisation," Taro said, adding that the Defence Forces and the Police and Border Guard Board are continuously working together to develop relevant capabilities.

Response to wartime threats

The minister also addressed a question about the possibility of Estonian airspace being used by a drone linked to Russia's war against Ukraine. Taro stressed that Estonia does not permit its airspace to be used for military operations. Should a drone used for military purposes enter the country's airspace, the first priority would be its safe neutralisation in cooperation with allies.

Asked what residents should do if they receive a nighttime EE-ALARM warning about an aerial threat while no public shelter is nearby, Taro did not offer specific operational guidance, instead pointing to instructions published for the public on the state portal kriis.ee.

He noted that developing shelter capacity, warning systems and public awareness remains one of Estonia's priorities.