Estonia closes eastern airspace amid Russian and Ukrainian drone activity

Estonia has introduced a temporary ban on flights along its entire eastern border, citing heightened activity by Russian troops and Ukrainian drones in the Leningrad region, the Estonian military announced. The move is aimed at allowing closer monitoring of the airspace and ensuring the safety of civilian flights.

The restrictions apply daily from 8 p.m. to 7 a.m. at altitudes up to 6,000 metres and will remain in effect in the coming weeks, Caliber.Az reports, citing Estonian media.

“We are only restricting part of the air activity. In simple terms, this means that those who contact us and justify their actions — such as the Police and Border Guard Department, which last night was using a drone to search for a missing person — can continue their work. We are introducing this measure so that surveillance operators have fewer objects to track. If an incident occurs, it will be easier to remove civilian aircraft from the area or land them,” said Estonian Air Force Commander Riivo Valge.

The Defence Forces emphasised that the restricted zone will allow for more detailed aerial surveillance, training activities, and flexible airspace protection while maintaining the safety of air traffic.

Valge also noted that the measure responds to recent regional developments. “We received information that St. Petersburg's airspace was closed due to an attack. We closely monitored Russian aircraft and helicopters near our borders and strengthened our surveillance capabilities. This happened just last night (September 11),” he explained.

It remains unclear how long the restrictions will stay in place, though they have already affected commercial operations, including flights on the Helsinki-Tartu route.

“Yesterday, the information came unexpectedly and quickly. Our goal is the safety of passengers and pilots, so the measures were strict at first. Today, we reviewed the restricted area, discussed it with the Air Force, and made adjustments to accommodate Finnair flights to Tartu. Finnair has confirmed it can operate under these conditions, and the Air Force has officially modified the area,” said Mihkel Haug, a representative of the Air Traffic Control Service.

Despite the airspace restrictions, the Defence Forces stress that there is no immediate military threat to Estonia. However, the frequency of air incidents near the border has increased due to Russia’s military actions against Ukraine. Similar no-fly zones have been imposed by Finland and Latvia.

By Tamilla Hasanova