Finnish president: No automatic orders to destroy Russian drones

Finnish President Alexander Stubb has said he will not issue automatic orders to shoot down Russian unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) that might enter Finland’s airspace, stressing that established protocols must be followed.

Speaking in an interview with CNN, Stubb was asked how Helsinki would respond if Russian military drones violated Finnish airspace and whether he would instruct the armed forces to destroy them.

“No. We have protocols. So basically, what happens is that first, we verify, then we announce, and then the Air Force decides what needs to happen,” Stubb explained.

He added that the authorities’ response would depend on the circumstances of each incident, underscoring that Finland’s approach would remain measured and in line with its defence procedures.

By Vugar Khalilov